NCBI Summary:
This gene encodes a proline-rich protein which interacts with the deleted in azoospermia (DAZ) and the deleted in azoospermia-like gene through the DAZ-like repeats. This protein also interacts with the transforming growth factor-beta signaling molecule SARA (Smad anchor for receptor activation), eukaryotic initiation factor 4G, and an E3 ubiquitinase that regulates its stability in splicing factor containing nuclear speckles. The encoded protein may function in various biological and pathological processes including spermatogenesis, cell signaling and transcription regulation, formation of stress granules during translation arrest, RNA splicing, and pathogenesis of multiple myeloma. Multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been found for this gene. [provided by RefSeq, Oct 2008]
General function
Intracellular signaling cascade
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Cellular localization
Cytoplasmic
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Ovarian function
Germ cell development
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Maternal dazap2 Regulates Germ Granules by Counteracting Dynein in Zebrafish Primordial Germ Cells. Forbes MM et al. (2015) Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the stem cells of the germline. Generally, germline induction occurs via zygotic factors or the inheritance of maternal determinants called germ plasm (GP). GP is packaged into ribonucleoprotein complexes within oocytes and later promotes the germline fate in embryos. Once PGCs are specified by either mechanism, GP components localize to perinuclear granular-like structures. Although components of zebrafish PGC germ granules have been studied, the maternal factors regulating their assembly and contribution to germ cell development are unknown. Here, we show that the scaffold protein Dazap2 binds to Bucky ball, an essential regulator of oocyte polarity and GP assembly, and colocalizes with the GP in oocytes and in PGCs. Mutational analysis revealed a requirement for maternal Dazap2 (MDazap2) in germ-granule maintenance. Through molecular epistasis analyses, we show that MDazap2 is epistatic to Tdrd7 and maintains germ granules in the embryonic germline by counteracting Dynein activity.//////////////////