The CPEB protein Orb2 has multiple functions during spermatogenesis in Drosophila melanogaster.

ABSTRACT: Cytoplasmic Polyadenylation Element Binding (CPEB) proteins are translational regulators that can either activate or repress translation depending on the target mRNA and the specific biological context. There are two CPEB subfamilies and most animals have one or more genes from each. Drosophila has a single CPEB gene, orb and orb2, from each subfamily. orb expression is only detected at high levels in the germline and has critical functions in oogenesis but not spermatogenesis. By contrast, orb2 is broadly expressed in the soma; and previous studies have revealed important functions in asymmetric cell division, viability, motor function, learning, and memory. Here we show that orb2 is also expressed in the adult male germline and that it has essential functions in programming the progressi

SUBMITTER: Xu S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3510050 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature