Gene Ensures Germline Stem Cell Differentiation by Promoting the Transcription of .

Ovarian germline stem cells (GSCs) of melanogaster provide a valuable in vivo model to investigate how the adult stem cell identity is maintained and the differentiation of the daughter cells is regulated. GSCs are embedded into a specialized cellular microenvironment, the so-called stem cell niche. Besides the complex signaling interactions between the germ cells and the niche cells, the germ cell intrinsic mechanisms, such as chromatin regulation and transcriptional control, are also crucial in the decision about self-renewal and differentiation.

gene is required for transposon silencing and heterochromatin organization, and ensures germline stem cell maintenance and differentiation.

Self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells is one of the fundamental biological phenomena relying on proper chromatin organization. In our study, we describe a novel chromatin regulator encoded by the () gene. We demonstrate that is required in both the germline stem cells (GSCs) and the surrounding somatic niche cells to ensure GSC survival and differentiation.