Elsevier

Developmental Biology

Volume 283, Issue 2, 15 July 2005, Pages 486-502
Developmental Biology

Genomes & Developmental Control
The expression profile of purified Drosophila germline stem cells

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Abstract

We developed a method to highly purify germline stem cells (GSCs) from the Drosophila ovary, one of the best understood types of adult stem cell. GSCs express variant isoforms of general transcriptional components, translation initiation factors, and several variant ribosomal proteins, including RpL22, a protein enriched in several mammalian stem cells. These novel isoforms may help regulate stem cell gene expression because a reversion assay indicated that at least four were specific for GSCs. By comparative analysis, we identify additional genes enriched in GSCs, including Psc, the Drosophila homolog of the Bmi-1 Polycomb group gene, as well as genes that may delay cytokinesis in pre-meiotic germ cells. By comparing GSCs arrested by BMP over-expression and bam mutation, we hypothesize that mRNA utilization is modulated in differentiating GSC daughters. Our findings suggest that Drosophila and mammalian stem cells utilize at least two regulatory mechanisms in common.

Abbreviations

GSC
germline stem cell
PGC
primordial germ cell
BMP
bone morphogenetic protein
FACS
fluorescence-activated cell sorting
PI
propidium diiodide
Prc1
Polycomb repressive complex 1
Tbps
TATA-binding proteins
TAFs
TATA-associated factors
hTR
human telomerase RNA

Keywords

Germ cell
Stem cell
Expression profile
Psc
Drosophila
RpL22

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