Dazl maintains proliferating germ cells through a network of polyA-proximal mRNA interactions [Adult RNA-Seq]

Dazl (deleted in azoospermia like) is a member of the DAZ family of germ cell-restricted RNA binding proteins required for gametogenesis from worm to human. The direct RNA targets and functions of these essential proteins are poorly understood. Here, we generated high-resolution, transcriptome-wide maps of Dazl-RNA interactions in mouse testes. These maps provide important insights into the mechanism of Dazl recruitment to mRNA and reveal Dazl binding to thousands of mRNAs predominantly through sequence-specific interactions near the polyA tail. Using transgenic mice and fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), we isolated DAZL knockout germ cells and used RNA-Seq to identify mRNAs sensitive to DAZL-ablation. Intersecting the RNA-Seq and Dazl-RNA interaction datasets revealed that Dazl enhances expression of a subset of directly-bound transcripts, namely mRNAs for a network of essential cell cycle regulatory genes. Collectively, our integrative analysis delineates a Dazl-dependent post-transcriptional gene regulatory program essential for mammalian germ cell maintenance. RNA-seq libraries generated from 8 week CD1 mouse testes