• PMID: 30439356
• Gene Name: DND1
• Condition: Survival of differentiating spermatogonia
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Survival of differentiating spermatogonia

Essential role of mouse Dead end1 in the maintenance of spermatogonia

Niimi Y, Imai A, Nishimura H, Yui K, Kikuchi A, Koike H, Saga Y, Suzuki A.

Dead end is a vertebrate-specific RNA-binding protein implicated in germ cell development. We have previously shown that mouse Dead end1 (DND1) is expressed in male embryonic germ cells and directly interacts with NANOS2 to cooperatively promote sexual differentiation of fetal germ cells. In addition, we have also reported that NANOS2 is expressed in self-renewing spermatogonial stem cells and is required for the maintenance of the stem cell state. However, it remains to be determined whether DND1 works with NANOS2 in the spermatogonia. Here, we show that DND1 is expressed in a subpopulation of differentiating spermatogonia and undifferentiated spermatogonia, including NANOS2-positive spermatogonia. Conditional disruption of DND1 depleted both differentiating and undifferentiated spermatogonia; however, the numbers of A(single) and A(paired) spermatogonia were preferentially decreased as compared with those of A(aligned) spermatogonia. Finally, we found that postnatal DND1 associates with NANOS2 in vivo, independently of RNA, and interacts with some of NANOS2-target mRNAs. These data not only suggest that DND1 is a partner of NANOS2 in undifferentiated spermatogonia as well as in male embryonic germ cells, but also show that DND1 plays an essential role in the survival of differentiating spermatogonia. CI - Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. FAU - Niimi, Yuki AU - Niimi Y AD - Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. FAU - Imai, Atsuki AU - Imai A AD - Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. FAU - Nishimura, Hitomi AU - Nishimura H AD - Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. FAU - Yui, Kenya AU - Yui K AD - Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. FAU - Kikuchi, Ai AU - Kikuchi A AD - Division of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan. FAU - Koike, Hiroko AU - Koike H AD - Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan. FAU - Saga, Yumiko AU - Saga Y AD - Division of Mammalian Development, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan.