Requirement for P granules and meiosis for accumulation of the germline RNA helicase CGH‐1

In Caenorhabditis elegans , lack of the conserved germline RNA helicase CGH‐1 causes infertility and excessive levels of physiological germline apoptosis, a process that normally claims about half of all developing oocytes. In yeast the CGH‐1 ortholog is a key component of degradative “processing (P) bodies,” which may share some properties with germline protein‐RNA complexes such as P granules. During oogenesis CGH‐1 associates with P granules, but also accumulates to high levels in additional cytoplasmic particles. Here we show that appropriate levels and localization of CGH‐1 depends on some P granule components and on mechanisms that establish meiotic development. At the same time, germ cell death is not increased by various abnormalities in P granules or meiosis. We conclude that in developing oocytes CGH‐1 particles accumulate specifically in response to meiotic development and have distinct functions from P granules, and may be dynamic protein‐mRNA structures. genesis 42:172–180, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.