Publications by authors named "Kim Joana Westerich"
Article Synopsis
- * This study uses advanced imaging techniques in zebrafish to examine how RNA molecules are organized within the germ granules and finds that their positioning is influenced by translation activity and ribosome presence.
- * The vertebrate-specific protein Dead end (Dnd1) is crucial for the proper localization of nanos3 RNA, and when Dnd1 is absent or translation is blocked, this RNA shifts away from the active area, leading to a loss of germ cell identity, emphasizing the importance of compartmentalization in regulating germ cell fate.
Germ granules, condensates of phase-separated RNA and protein, are organelles essential for germline development in different organisms The patterning of the granules and its relevance for germ cell fate are not fully understood. Combining three-dimensional structural and functional analyses, we study the dynamic spatial organization of molecules within zebrafish germ granules. We find that localization of RNA molecules to the periphery of the granules, where ribosomes are localized depends on translational activity at this location.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStudy Question: Is the vertebrate protein Dead end (DND1) a causative factor for human infertility and can novel in vivo assays in zebrafish help in evaluating this?
Summary Answer: Combining patient genetic data with functional in vivo assays in zebrafish reveals a possible role for DND1 in human male fertility.
What Is Known Already: About 7% of the male population is affected by infertility but linking specific gene variants to the disease is challenging. The function of the DND1 protein was shown to be critical for germ cell development in several model organisms but a reliable and cost-effective method for evaluating the activity of the protein in the context of human male infertility is still missing.