University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive, Department of Biological Sciences, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Genome. 2010 Feb;53(2):83-102. doi: 10.1139/g09-090.
The formation of a fully developed gamete from an undifferentiated germ cell requires progression through numerous developmental stages and cell fate decisions. The precise timing and level of gene expression guides cells through these stages. Translational regulation is highly utilized in the germ line of many species, including Caenorhabditis elegans, to regulate gene expression and ensure the proper formation of gametes. In this review, we discuss some of the developmental stages and cell fate decisions involved in the formation of functional gametes in the C. elegans germ line in which translational control has been implicated. These stages include the mitosis versus meiosis decision, the sperm/oocyte decision, and gamete maturation. We also discuss some of the techniques used to identify mRNA targets; the identification of these targets is necessary to clearly understand the role each RNA-binding protein plays in these decisions. Relatively few mRNA targets have been identified, thus providing a major focus for future research. Finally, we propose some reasons why translational control may be utilized so heavily in the germ line. Given that many species have this substantial reliance on translational regulation for the control of gene expression in the germ line, an understanding of translational regulation in the C. elegans germ line is likely to increase our understanding of gamete formation in general.
从未分化的生殖细胞形成完全发育的配子需要经过许多发育阶段和细胞命运决定。精确的时间和基因表达水平指导细胞通过这些阶段。翻译调控在包括秀丽隐杆线虫在内的许多物种的生殖系中得到了广泛利用，以调节基因表达并确保配子的正常形成。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了在秀丽隐杆线虫生殖系中形成功能配子所涉及的一些发育阶段和细胞命运决定，其中涉及翻译控制。这些阶段包括有丝分裂与减数分裂的决定、精子/卵子的决定以及配子成熟。我们还讨论了一些用于鉴定 mRNA 靶标的技术；鉴定这些靶标对于清楚了解每个 RNA 结合蛋白在这些决定中的作用是必要的。相对较少的 mRNA 靶标已经被鉴定出来，因此这是未来研究的主要焦点。最后，我们提出了为什么翻译控制在生殖系中如此广泛地被利用的一些原因。鉴于许多物种在生殖系中对翻译调控的基因表达控制有如此大的依赖，因此对秀丽隐杆线虫生殖系中的翻译调控的理解可能会增加我们对配子形成的总体理解。
