Cited by 119Cell death mechanisms and regulationAutophagy in Disease and TherapyUbiquitin and proteasome pathways

Alternative Germ Cell Death Pathway in Drosophila Involves HtrA2/Omi, Lysosomes, and a Caspase-9 Counterpart

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Yacobi-Sharon, Keren, Namdar, Yuval, Arama, Eli·2013·Developmental Cell

Abstract

In both flies and mammals, almost one-third of the newly emerging male germ cells are spontaneously eliminated before entering meiosis. Here, we show that in Drosophila, germ cell death (GCD) involves the initiator caspase Dronc independently of the apoptosome and the main executioner caspases. Electron microscopy of dying germ cells revealed mixed morphologies of apoptosis and necrosis. We further show that the lysosomes and their catabolic enzymes, but not macroautophagy, are involved in the execution of GCD. We then identified, in a screen, the Parkinson's disease-associated mitochondrial protease, HtrA2/Omi, as an important mediator of GCD, acting mainly through its catalytic activity rather than by antagonizing inhibitor of apoptosis proteins. Concomitantly, other mitochondrial-associated factors were also implicated in GCD, including Pink1 (but not Parkin), the Bcl-2-related proteins, and endonuclease G, which establish the mitochondria as central mediators of GCD. These findings uncover an alternative developmental cell death pathway in metazoans.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.02.002

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  • A type of RCD highly reminiscent of lysosome-dependent cell death, dubbed germ cell death, appears to play a critical role in physiological elimination of a fraction of emerging male germ cells at least in D. melanogaster.

    “a type of RCD that is highly reminiscent of lysosome-dependent cell death, which has been dubbed “germ cell death”, appears to play a critical role in the physiological elimination of a fraction of emerging male germ cells (at least in D. melanogaster) [753–756].”

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Authors
Yacobi-Sharon, K., Namdar, Y., & Arama, E.
Affiliations
Weizmann Institute of Science (IL)
Corresponding author
Arama, Eli
Venue
Developmental Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2013-04
Volume
25
Issue
1
Pages
29-42
ISSN
1534-5807 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1999588722
Cited by
119
References
74
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 4
FWCI
5.07
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Developmental Cell (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Minerva Foundation
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
  • Fritz Thyssen Stiftung
  • Israel Cancer Association
  • Israel Science Foundation (308/09)
  • Israel Cancer Research Fund
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Cell death mechanisms and regulation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Autophagy in Disease and Therapy
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ubiquitin and proteasome pathways
Keywords
germ cell death, Drosophila, Omi/HtrA2, lysosomes, caspase-9, Dronc, apoptosis, necrosis, PINK1, endonuclease G, mitochondrial protease, Parkinson's disease, male germ cells, developmental cell death
MeSH terms
High-Temperature Requirement A Serine Peptidase 2, PTEN-Induced Putative Kinase, Animals, Cell Division, Drosophila, Enzyme Activation, Germ Cells, Lysosomes, Male, Mitochondria, Serine Endopeptidases, Species Specificity, Spermatogenesis, Spermatozoa, Testis, Cell Death, Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases, Reactive Oxygen Species, Caspases, In Situ Nick-End Labeling, Drosophila Proteins, Microscopy, Electron, Transmission, Caspase 9, DNA Fragmentation

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