401mRNA
Protein classification
Phenotype
Function
Reference
Kif13BKinesin/ATPaseMis-migration occurred with modulations of KIF13B.Knockdown inhibited blebbingand accumulated PIP3Germ cell migrationTarbashevich etal.(^2011)XlsirtsNoncoding and coding RNAs containing tandemly repeated elementsDestruction of the localized Xlsirts results in the release of Vg1 vegetal cortex. Xlsirt needed for proper localization of Vg1. Removal of Xlsirts disrupts cytokeratin cytoskeletonLocalize RNA and anchors mRNA at the vegetal cortexKloc etal. (1993),Kloc and Etkin (1994),and Kloc etal. (2007)XdsgMyosin ATPaseXdsg faintly detected in germ plasm at cleavage stages. Found in cytoplasm of germ line cells at stage 12–40 and in PGCs at stage 46 PGCs at stage 46Formation of PGCs by regulating the production of XVLG1 (Vasa) proteinYamakita etal. (2004)and Ikenishi etal.(^2006)Poc1b /pixl And poc1 a/pix2W40 repeat containing protein/esteraseColocalizes with Xpat in the mitochondrial cloud in stage 1 oocytes and in cortical germ plasm islands in stage VI oocytes. Pix proteins also localize to centrosomes, mitochondria and microtubules. Interference by antibody microinjection leads to a cell division failurePossible microtubule dependent germ plasm organizerHames etal. (2008)Wnt 11ReceptorWnt11 partially rescues UV ventralized embryos by inducing dorsal tissue formation allowing formation of neural tube and somatic muscle (lacks notochord and anterior head structures)Dorsal ventral axis specification through Wnt signaling; function in germ line is unknownKu and Melton (1993)Nanos1 (Xcat2)RNA binding, zinc fingerMorpholino knockdown of maternal Nanos1 decreased PGCs and a loss of germ cells from the gonads; PGCS fail to migrate out of endoderm; somatic genes mis-expressed in PGCsTranslational repressor; functions with Pumilio to repress RNAs; Represses VegT endoderm determinantMosquera etal. (1993),Zhou and King (1996),Lai etal. (2011), andLai etal. (2012)
(continued)8 Mechanisms of Vertebrate Germ Cell Determination