Drosophila piwi mutants exhibit germline stem cell tumors that are sustained by elevated Dpp signaling.

ABSTRACT: Drosophila Piwi is the founding member of a gonadal clade of Argonaute proteins that serve as silencing effectors for ∼26-32 nt Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) [1], and piwi mutants exhibit dramatically rudimentary ovaries [2]. It was proposed that somatic Piwi maintains germline stem cells (GSCs) by promoting Dpp signaling, presumably via cap cells that form the somatic niche for GSCs [3-5]. However, we unexpectedly observed that piwi mutants exhibit high-frequency GSC-like tumors that persist throughout adult life. Multiple readouts demonstrated hyperactive Dpp signaling in piwi mutants, including the failure to express the germline differentiation factor bag-of-marbles (bam), and restoration of bam expression relieved piwi GSC-like tumors. Tissue-specific rescue and knockdown experiments

SUBMITTER: Jin Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3740069 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature