Post-transcriptional regulation of the meiotic Cdc25 protein Twine by the Dazl orthologue Boule

Boule, a Drosophila orthologue of the vertebrate Dazl fertility factors, is a testis-specific regulator of meiotic entry and germline differentiation. Mutations inactivating either Boule, which is an RNA-binding protein, or T wine, which is a Cdc25-type phosphatase, block meiotic entry in males. Here we show that twins and boule interact genetically. We also find that prote in expression from twine messenger RNA correlates with cytoplasmic accumula tion of Boule and is markedly reduced by boule mutations. Remarkably, heter ologous expression of Twine rescues the boule meiotic-entry defect, indicat ing that the essential function of Boule at the transition from G2 to M pha se during meiosis is in the control of Twine translation.