Unusual modes of cell and nuclear divisions characterise Drosophila development.

The growth and development of metazoan organisms is dependent upon a co-ordinated programme of cellular proliferation and differentiation, from the initial formation of the zygote through to maintenance of mature organs in adult organisms. Early studies of proliferation of ex vivo cultures and unicellular eukaryotes described a cyclic nature of cell division characterised by periods of DNA synthesis (S-phase) and segregation of newly synthesized chromosomes (M-phase) interspersed by seeming inactivity, the gap phases, G1 and G2. We now know that G1 and G2 play critical roles in regulating the cell cycle, including monitoring of favourable environmental conditions to facilitate cell division, and ensuring genomic integrity prior to DNA replication and nuclear division.

Functional characterisation of human recessive DIS3 variants in premature ovarian insufficiency.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is characterised by the loss or complete absence of ovarian activity in women under the age of 40. Clinical presentation of POI varies with phenotypic severity ranging from premature loss of menses to complete gonadal dysgenesis. POI is genetically heterogeneous with >100 causative gene variants identified thus far.

The role of HnrnpF/H as a driver of oligoteratozoospermia.

Male subfertility or infertility is a common condition often characterized by men producing a low number of sperm with poor quality. To gain insight into this condition, we performed a quantitative proteomic analysis of semen samples obtained from infertile and fertile men. At least 6 proteins showed significant differences in regulation of alternatively spliced isoforms.

Importin Alpha 1 (Dα1) Is Required to Maintain Germline Stem Cells in the Testis Niche.

Stem cell maintenance and differentiation can be regulated via the differential activity of transcription factors within stem cells and their progeny. For these factors to be active, they need to be transported from their site of synthesis in the cytoplasm into the nucleus. A tissue-specific requirement for factors involved in nuclear importation is a potential mechanism to regulate stem cell differentiation.

TOB1 and TOB2 mark distinct RNA processing granules in differentiating lens fiber cells.

Differentiation of lens fiber cells involves a complex interplay of signals from growth factors together with tightly regulated gene expression via transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators. Various studies have demonstrated that RNA-binding proteins, functioning in ribonucleoprotein granules, have important roles in regulating post-transcriptional expression during lens development. In this study, we examined the expression and localization of two members of the BTG/TOB family of RNA-binding proteins, TOB1 and TOB2, in the developing lens and examined the phenotype of mice that lack Tob1.