Disease relevance of ifc

• During spermatogenesis, but not oogenesis of des mutant flies, both cell cycle and spermatid differentiation are specifically blocked at the entry into the first meiotic division, leading to male sterility [1].

High impact information on ifc

• This mutant phenotype can be restored to wild-type by complementation with a functional copy of the des gene (Endo, K., Akiyama, T., Kobayashi S., and Okada, M. (1996) Mol. Gen. Genet. 253, 157-165) [1].
• We have identified a novel Drosophila gene, degenerative spermatocyte (des), that may be required for the initiation of meiosis in spermatogenesis [2].
• In des mutant testes, the primary spermatocytes become mature in size but degenerate without initiating meiotic chromosome condensation in their nuclei [2].
• We have mapped the locus of the des gene at 26A on the left arm of the second chromosome, and identified two related, differentially spliced transcripts (des-1, des-2) from the locus [2].

Biological context of ifc

• Degenerative spermatocyte, a novel gene encoding a transmembrane protein required for the initiation of meiosis in Drosophila spermatogenesis [2].

Anatomical context of ifc

• These results raise the possibility that the des gene product may be required for interactions between primary spermatocytes and surrounding somatic cells [2].
• The expression of the des-1 transcript is significantly suppressed in the des mutant testes, whereas expression of the des-2 transcript is undetectable in both wild-type and mutant testes, indicating that the des-1 transcript encodes the des function in spermatogenesis [2].

References