Fig. 5

Ribosome-related transcripts containing UUGUU motifs are negatively regulated by ncl-1 in the germline and embryo. a RNAi of ncl-1 leads to increased expression of ribosome-related transcripts. Log₂ fold-change in mRNA expression between WT and and ncl-1(RNAi)-treated early embryos for ribosome-related genes, as measured by qRT-PCR (n = 8). The median and interquartile range (IQR) for transcripts encoding ribosomal subunits (green), rRNA processing factors (teal), and a tRNA synthetase (purple) upon ncl-1(RNAi) (salmon) are shown in comparison with the variation among controls (gray). Whiskers denote 1.5 times the IQR. On average, a 65% knockdown of ncl-1 mRNA was observed in ncl-1(RNAi)-treated worms. Above the graph, the number of UUGUU motifs present in the UTR (top) and in the entire transcript (in parentheses) are indicated. b The response of a pro-1 3′UTR reporter to ncl-1 depletion in oocytes is dependent on UUGUU motifs. Representative images of germlines from worms expressing a WT pro-1 3′UTR reporter (mCherry) and a reporter fused to pro-1 3′UTR containing mutated UUGUU motifs (GFP), fed with empty RNAi vector (control) or ncl-1 RNAi. Upon ncl-1 knockdown, mCherry but not GFP expression is increased in the diplotene region and oocytes