Transcription regulatory networks in Caenorhabditis elegans

Gene

Public Gene Name

puf-5  

Sequence Name

F54C9.8  

WB ID

WBGene00004241  

Description

puf-5 encodes a Pumilio protein; PUF-5 is required, redundantly with PUF-6/7, for translational repression of glp-1 mRNA in oocytes (via specific elements in the 3' UTR site), and for normal oocyte maturation (growth, organization, nuclear enlargement, yolk uptake, and localization of RME-2 to the plasma membrane) and early embryogenesis (cell divisions and eggshell formation); since glp-1 mutations do not suppress puf-5 embryonic lethality, PUF-5 is likely to have other targets than glp-1; puf-5 is expressed in the medial germline, from the gonad bend (with late pachytene germ cell nuclei) to the distal proximal gonad, but abruptly ending at the proximal terminus of the gonad; PUF-5 is mostly cytoplasmic, but is also found around the nucleus and in P granules; a PUF-5 binding element (5BE) is found in the 3' UTRs of several mRNAs (cpi-2, fog-1, obr-3, srm-6, srz-10, and C17H11.1); 5BE is similar to the RNA binding profile of PUF-6, but not to those of FBF or PUF-8/9 proteins.