DRTEL1 is Essential for the Maintenance of Germline Stem Cells

Abstract

Stem cells have the potential to maintain the undifferentiated state and differentiate into specialized cell types. Despite numerous progresses have been achieved in understanding stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, many fundamental questions remain unanswered. In this study, we identify dRTEL1, the Drosophila homolog of Regulator of Telomere Elongation Helicase 1, as a novel regulator of Drosophila germline stem cells (GSCs). Our genome-wide transcriptome analysis and ChIP-Seq results suggest that dRTEL1 directly regulates a set of candidate genes controlling GSC self-renewal and differentiation. Furthermore, dRTEL1 prevents DNA damage-induced checkpoint activation for GSC maintenance. Finally, dRTEL1 is required to maintain Stat92E protein levels, the key player in GSC self-renewal. Together, our findings reveal an intrinsic role of the DNA helicase dRTEL1 in GSC self-renewal and provide insight into the function of dRTEL1.