Affinage

DAZL

Deleted in azoospermia-like · UniProt Q92904

Length
295 aa
Mass
33.2 kDa
Annotated
2026-04-28
100 papers in source corpus 30 papers cited in narrative 30 extracted findings

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

DAZL is a germ cell-specific RNA-binding protein that functions as a master translational regulator essential for germ cell specification, sexual differentiation (licensing), meiotic progression, and gametogenesis in both sexes. Its RRM domain recognizes GUU triplets within 3′-UTR UGUU(U/A) motifs of thousands of target mRNAs, and it stimulates translation initiation by recruiting poly(A)-binding proteins and increasing ribosome occupancy, while also acting as a translational repressor of a distinct subset of mRNAs including pluripotency factors in primordial germ cells (PMID:22021443, PMID:31355046, PMID:32686646, PMID:32170089, PMID:25418731). Beyond mRNA translation, DAZL directly binds precursor miRNA loops and enhances DICER-mediated miRNA maturation, participates in dynein-dependent mRNA transport, and is required for stress granule assembly that protects germ cells from heat-stress-induced apoptosis by sequestering RACK1 (PMID:36273819, PMID:16946704, PMID:22222682). Loss of Dazl in mice causes complete germ cell loss, failure of genomic imprint erasure, and meiotic arrest, while germ cell-restricted expression is enforced by promoter CpG methylation in somatic cells and post-transcriptional repression by NANOS2 and 3′-UTR-dependent silencing mechanisms (PMID:9288969, PMID:21504946, PMID:19281782, PMID:27072294).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 15 steps
  1. 1997 High

    The fundamental requirement of DAZL for germ cell survival was established when its targeted disruption caused complete germ cell loss and infertility, defining it as an essential germ cell differentiation factor.

    Evidence Dazl knockout mouse with histological analysis and immunolocalization

    PMID:9288969

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular targets and mechanism of action unknown
    • Whether DAZL acted at transcriptional or post-transcriptional level was unresolved
  2. 1999 High

    Genetic epistasis in Drosophila established that the DAZL family acts as a cytoplasmic translational regulator of a meiotic entry gene (Cdc25/twine), providing the first mechanistic link between DAZL-family proteins and translational control of meiosis.

    Evidence Genetic rescue of boule meiotic-entry defect by heterologous Twine expression in Drosophila

    PMID:10559904

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether mammalian DAZL used the same translational mechanism was unknown
    • Direct RNA-binding specificity not yet defined
  3. 2000 High

    Association of DAZL with actively translating polyribosomes via poly(A) RNA established it as a direct participant in mRNA translation rather than a transcriptional or splicing factor, and homodimerization was identified as an RNA-independent property.

    Evidence Sucrose gradient polysome fractionation of mouse testis; co-immunoprecipitation and yeast two-hybrid for dimerization

    PMID:10819768 PMID:10903443

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether dimerization was functionally required for translational activity remained untested
    • Direct RNA sequence specificity unknown
  4. 2001 High

    SELEX and yeast tri-hybrid experiments defined the RNA-binding consensus as (GUn)n repeats, resolving the long-standing question of DAZL's target specificity at the nucleotide level.

    Evidence SELEX and yeast tri-hybrid screen with in vitro binding validation

    PMID:11410654

    Open questions at the time
    • Structural basis of recognition unresolved
    • Genome-wide target repertoire unknown
  5. 2005 High

    The mechanism of translational activation was resolved: DAZL family proteins stimulate translation initiation by directly recruiting poly(A)-binding proteins (PABPs), and specific endogenous targets (Mvh) were validated in vivo, connecting RNA binding to a defined translational output.

    Evidence Xenopus oocyte tethered function assays, protein interaction mapping, RNA immunoprecipitation-microarray, Dazl null mouse protein analysis

    PMID:16001084 PMID:16278232

    Open questions at the time
    • Genome-wide scope of targets still unknown
    • Whether DAZL could also repress translation was not addressed
  6. 2007 High

    Translational activation of meiotic targets was extended to the synaptonemal complex component Sycp3, directly linking DAZL's translational function to meiotic chromosome synapsis.

    Evidence In vitro binding and translation assay with in vivo validation in Dazl knockout mice

    PMID:17526644

    Open questions at the time
    • Full repertoire of meiotic targets remained undefined
    • Whether DAZL regulation differed between sexes was unclear
  7. 2006 Medium

    Discovery that DAZL interacts with dynein light chain and distributes in a microtubule-dependent manner revealed an additional function in mRNA transport within germ cells, beyond translational regulation per se.

    Evidence Co-immunoprecipitation with dynein light chain; immunofluorescence with microtubule disruption in male germ cells

    PMID:16946704

    Open questions at the time
    • Direct transport function not demonstrated by live imaging
    • Whether transport and translational activation are coupled is unknown
    • Single Co-IP without reciprocal validation of transport activity
  8. 2009 High

    Multiple studies broadened DAZL's roles: it counteracts miRNA-mediated repression via poly(A) tail elongation in zebrafish PGCs, is required for genomic imprint erasure in mouse PGCs, and promotes primordial germ cell formation from human ESCs, establishing DAZL as a conserved factor operating from PGC specification through meiosis.

    Evidence Zebrafish reporter and poly(A) tail assays; bisulfite sequencing in Dazl-null mouse PGCs; siRNA/overexpression in human ESCs with germ cell reporter

    PMID:19468308 PMID:19838299 PMID:19865085

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether imprint erasure is a direct or indirect consequence of DAZL loss was unclear
    • Mechanism of poly(A) tail elongation by DAZL not defined at the protein level
  9. 2011 High

    Three pivotal advances resolved structural, developmental, and oocyte-specific functions: X-ray crystallography showed GUU recognition through kinked β-strands in the RRM; in vivo genetic analysis established DAZL as a 'licensing factor' for sexual differentiation of fetal germ cells; and oocyte depletion showed DAZL is required for meiotic spindle assembly during the oocyte-to-embryo transition.

    Evidence Crystal structures of Dazl RRM–RNA complex with mutagenesis; Dazl-deficient C57BL/6 mice; conditional DAZL depletion in oocytes with polysome profiling

    PMID:21460039 PMID:21504946 PMID:22021443

    Open questions at the time
    • How multiple DAZL molecules coordinate on a single transcript structurally was unresolved
    • Mechanism linking DAZL to spindle organization not molecularly defined
  10. 2012 Medium

    DAZL was shown to be essential for stress granule assembly in male germ cells, where it protects against heat-stress-induced apoptosis by sequestering the pro-apoptotic scaffold RACK1, revealing a non-translational cytoprotective function.

    Evidence Immunofluorescence for SG markers in wild-type and Dazl-KO testes after heat stress; RACK1 co-localization; apoptosis assays

    PMID:22222682

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether SG assembly is a direct scaffolding function of DAZL or secondary to its RNA-binding was not resolved
    • Applicability to female germ cells not tested
  11. 2014 Medium

    DAZL was identified as a translational repressor of pluripotency factors (Sox2, Sall4) and caspase mRNAs in nascent PGCs, establishing that DAZL acts bidirectionally — both activating and repressing translation — to simultaneously restrict pluripotency, prevent somatic fate, and suppress apoptosis.

    Evidence Dazl-GFP reporter ESC system with ribosome association assays and KO phenotype analysis

    PMID:25418731

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular determinants distinguishing activation from repression targets not identified
    • Mechanism of translational repression not biochemically defined
  12. 2016 High

    Synergistic cooperation between DAZL and CPEB1 was demonstrated for maternal mRNA translation, and NANOS2 was shown to antagonize DAZL by targeting its 3′-UTR, revealing the regulatory logic governing DAZL activity in oocytes and male germ cells respectively.

    Evidence Reciprocal depletion and mutagenesis in oocytes; BAC transgenic system with conditional 3′-UTR removal in XY germ cells

    PMID:26826184 PMID:27072294

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether additional RBPs form combinatorial codes with DAZL on all targets is unknown
    • Structural basis of DAZL–CPEB1 cooperativity unresolved
  13. 2018 High

    Genome-wide approaches (HITS-CLIP, iCLIP, eCLIP, ribosome profiling) defined DAZL as binding thousands of mRNAs at 3′-UTR UGUU(U/A) motifs and increasing their ribosome occupancy without altering mRNA levels, while also revealing bidirectional translational regulation (activation and repression of distinct subsets) during oocyte maturation.

    Evidence HITS-CLIP, iCLIP, polysome profiling, and conditional Dazl KO in male germ cells and oocytes; recombinant DAZL rescue in oocytes

    PMID:29883445 PMID:30380414 PMID:31355046 PMID:32170089

    Open questions at the time
    • What cofactors determine activation versus repression on a given target remains unresolved
    • Tissue-specific variation in target repertoire not systematically compared
  14. 2020 High

    eCLIP and ribosome profiling in undifferentiated spermatogonia confirmed that DAZL's translational program operates already at the spermatogonial progenitor stage, promoting expansion and differentiation prior to meiosis.

    Evidence Conditional Dazl KO with eCLIP and ribosome occupancy sequencing with chemical synchronization of spermatogenesis

    PMID:32686646

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether DAZL's spermatogonial targets overlap with its meiotic targets was not fully resolved
    • Upstream signals activating DAZL at this stage unknown
  15. 2022 High

    A non-canonical function was discovered: DAZL binds pre-miRNA loops at GUU motifs and stimulates DICER cleavage to promote miRNA maturation, expanding DAZL's role from mRNA translation to miRNA biogenesis in human PGCs.

    Evidence In vitro DICER cleavage assay with purified DAZL and pre-miRNA; miRNA profiling; cell proliferation assays

    PMID:36273819

    Open questions at the time
    • In vivo validation in germ cells of the DICER-enhancement activity is limited
    • Whether miRNA maturation and mRNA translational control are coordinated is unknown

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • The molecular determinants that specify whether DAZL activates or represses a given mRNA target, the structural basis of DAZL cooperativity with CPEB1 and other RBP partners, and the integration of DAZL's translational and miRNA-processing functions into a unified regulatory network remain unresolved.
  • No structural or biochemical model for activation-versus-repression decision
  • Full combinatorial code with other germ cell RBPs not mapped
  • Relative contributions of translational control versus miRNA maturation to germ cell phenotypes unknown

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0003723 RNA binding 6 GO:0045182 translation regulator activity 6 GO:0098772 molecular function regulator activity 2 GO:0140098 catalytic activity, acting on RNA 1
Localization
GO:0005829 cytosol 3
Pathway
R-HSA-392499 Metabolism of proteins 4 R-HSA-1266738 Developmental Biology 2 R-HSA-1640170 Cell Cycle 2 R-HSA-8953854 Metabolism of RNA 1
Partners
CPEB1DAZAP1DAZAP2DICER1DYNLL1NANOS2PABPC1PUM2

Evidence

Reading pass · 30 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
1997 Mouse Dazl protein is cytoplasmic in male and female germ cells, and its disruption leads to complete loss of germ cells and absence of gamete production, demonstrating it is essential for germ cell differentiation. Knockout mouse model with histological analysis; immunolocalization Nature High 9288969
2005 DAZL family proteins (Xdazl, mouse Dazl, human DAZL, DAZ, BOULE) stimulate translation at the level of initiation by directly interacting with poly(A)-binding proteins (PABPs), suggesting they activate translationally silent mRNAs by recruiting PABPs. Xenopus oocyte translation assays, tethered function experiments, protein interaction mapping, co-immunoprecipitation The EMBO journal High 16001084
2005 Mouse Dazl binds in vivo to specific mRNA transcripts including Mvh (mouse vasa homologue) via conserved binding sites, and stimulates Mvh translation via its 3'-UTR; Dazl null mice show reduced MVH protein levels. RNA immunoprecipitation combined with microarray analysis; in vitro and in vivo translation assays; Dazl null mouse analysis Human molecular genetics High 16278232
2007 Dazl enhances translation of Sycp3 (synaptonemal complex component) via its 3'-UTR in male mouse germ cells; Sycp3 protein levels are decreased in Dazl knockout mice, indicating Dazl-mediated translational regulation of Sycp3 is biologically relevant for meiosis. RNA binding assay, in vitro translation assay, Dazl knockout mouse analysis (Western blot for Sycp3 protein) RNA High 17526644
2001 Mouse Dazl binds oligo(U) stretches interspersed with G or C residues, with the consensus (GUn)n, as determined by SELEX and a yeast tri-hybrid screen; CDC25C 5'-UTR interacts specifically with Dazl in vitro. SELEX and yeast tri-hybrid screen; in vitro binding assay Nucleic acids research High 11410654
2011 Crystal structures of the murine Dazl RRM alone and in complex with RNA revealed high-affinity, sequence-specific recognition of a GUU triplet through kinked β-strands; mutation of GUU bases reduces binding affinity, and multiple Dazl RRMs can bind a single RNA containing multiple GUU triplets to modulate translation. X-ray crystallography (crystal structures of RRM alone and RNA complex), mutagenesis, binding affinity measurements Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 22021443
2011 DAZL is essential for meiotic maturation and embryonic cleavage in mouse oocytes; in the absence of DAZL synthesis the meiotic spindle fails to form due to disorganization of meiotic microtubules. CPEB1 regulates Dazl post-transcriptionally, and they function in a progressive, self-reinforcing pathway during oocyte-to-embryo transition. Polysome mRNA profiling, conditional depletion of DAZL in oocytes, immunofluorescence for spindle/microtubule organization, bioinformatics Genes & development High 21460039
2011 DAZL functions as a licensing factor in fetal germ cells: Dazl-deficient germ cells (XX or XY) migrate to the gonad but remain in a sexually undifferentiated state, failing to respond to feminizing or masculinizing cues from the gonad, demonstrating DAZL is required for a developmental transition enabling sexual differentiation of germ cells. In vivo genetic studies using Dazl-deficient C57BL/6 mice; analysis of germ cell markers and sexual differentiation state Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 21504946
2000 Mouse DAZL1 is associated with actively translating polyribosomes in testis, and this association is mediated through binding to poly(A) RNA, suggesting DAZL1 is involved in germ-cell-specific regulation of mRNA translation. Sucrose gradient sedimentation, oligo(dT) capture, immunoblot; subcellular fractionation of mouse testis Biology of reproduction High 10819768
2000 DAZL1 forms homodimers both in vivo and in vitro through a novel protein-protein interaction domain, and this homodimerization activity is RNA-independent. In vivo co-immunoprecipitation and in vitro interaction assays; yeast two-hybrid Gene Medium 10903443
2000 DAZ and DAZL1 interact with two novel proteins (DAZAP1, an RNA-binding protein; DAZAP2, a ubiquitous protein) through their DAZ repeats, as identified by yeast two-hybrid. Yeast two-hybrid screen; interaction mapping through DAZ repeats Genomics Medium 10857750
2006 Dazl interacts with dynein light chain, a component of the dynein-dynactin motor complex, and its subcellular distribution is microtubule-dependent; a subset of Dazl-bound mRNAs accumulates in the perinuclear area, suggesting Dazl participates in mRNA transport via the dynein motor complex in male germ cells. Co-immunoprecipitation (interaction with dynein light chain), subcellular fractionation, immunofluorescence with microtubule disruption The EMBO journal Medium 16946704
2009 In zebrafish, DAZL relieves miR-430-mediated repression of germline mRNAs (nanos1, tdrd7) by inducing poly(A) tail elongation (polyadenylation) in primordial germ cells, functioning as an 'anti-miRNA factor' to protect specific transcripts from miRNA-mediated deadenylation. GFP reporter mRNA fused to tdrd7 3'UTR; poly(A) tail length assay; overexpression in zebrafish embryos PloS one Medium 19838299
2012 DAZL is essential for stress granule (SG) formation in male germ cells: upon heat stress, DAZL translocates to SGs; SG assembly is significantly diminished in Dazl-knockout early male germ cells; DAZL-containing SGs prevent apoptosis by sequestering RACK1 and blocking the apoptotic MAPK pathway. Immunofluorescence for SG markers in wild-type and Dazl-knockout mouse testes after heat stress; RACK1 co-localization; apoptosis assays Development Medium 22222682
2018 DAZL binds to a large number (at least 3008) of testicular mRNA transcripts at their 3'-UTRs via a UGUU(U/A) motif, interacts with poly(A)-binding protein, and increases ribosome occupancy (translation) of its targets; in the absence of DAZL, polysome-associated target transcripts are significantly decreased without reduction in total transcript levels, causing reduced spermatogenic protein levels and developmental arrest. HITS-CLIP (high-throughput sequencing of RNAs isolated by crosslinking immunoprecipitation), mass spectrometry, polysome profiling, conditional Dazl knockout in mouse germ cells National science review High 31355046
2018 DAZL regulates translation of maternal mRNAs bidirectionally during oocyte maturation: it functions as both a translational repressor and activator of distinct mRNA subsets. Injection of recombinant DAZL protein into DAZL-depleted oocytes rescues translation and maturation to MII; mutagenesis of DAZL-binding sites in target mRNAs mimics DAZL depletion. Ribosome profiling/polysome analysis in DAZL-depleted oocytes; recombinant protein rescue injection; YFP-3'UTR reporters; DAZL-binding site mutagenesis Nature communications High 32170089
2018 DAZL regulates germ cell survival through polyA-proximal 3' UTR interactions: transcriptome-wide DAZL-RNA mapping revealed binding to thousands of mRNAs predominantly via polyA-proximal 3' UTR sites, and integrative analyses indicate DAZL post-transcriptionally controls a specific network of genes critical for germ cell proliferation and survival. iCLIP (transcriptome-wide crosslinking immunoprecipitation), FACS and RNA-seq in Dazl-null male germ cells Cell reports High 30380414
2016 DAZL cooperates synergistically with CPEB1 to regulate maternal mRNA translation during oocyte maturation; both RBPs interact with the Tex19.1 3'UTR and cooperate in translation activation; the number of DAZL molecules bound and CPE characteristics define the degree of synergism. Ribosome loading assay on endogenous mRNAs, oocyte depletion of DAZL and CPEB1, 3'UTR mutagenesis, genome-wide polysome analysis Journal of cell science High 26826184
2014 DAZL blocks translation of core pluripotency factors (Sox2, Sall4) and the polycomb factor Suz12 in nascent primordial germ cells, and also inhibits translation of key Caspase mRNAs; this dual translational repression limits both pluripotency and somatic differentiation while preventing teratoma formation. Dazl-GFP reporter ESC system, mRNA/protein interactome network analysis, ribosome association assays, KO phenotype analysis Stem cell reports Medium 25418731
2015 DAZL enhances translation of Tet1 mRNA in embryonic stem cells by associating with Tet1 mRNA; overexpression of DAZL elevates TET1 protein and increases global DNA hydroxymethylation, while Dazl null mutation impairs 2i-mediated TET1 induction and hydroxymethylation. RNA-binding immunoprecipitation, polysome analysis, Dazl overexpression and KO in ESCs, quantification of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine EMBO reports Medium 26077710
2009 Dazl disruption results in failure to erase and re-establish genomic imprints in isolated male and female primordial germ cells, and prevents progression through meiosis, in addition to reduced PGC number; the phenotypes observed in vivo are mirrored in vitro during ESC differentiation. Transgenic Oct4DeltaPE:GFP mouse for germ cell isolation; bisulfite sequencing for imprint analysis; Dazl null mice; ESC differentiation model PloS one Medium 19468308
2016 NANOS2 suppresses Dazl expression in XY germ cells by targeting the Dazl 3'-UTR, and stabilization of Dazl mRNA (by removal of its 3'-UTR) in XY germ cells causes elevated meiotic gene expression, abnormal cell cycle resumption, and impaired P-body formation reminiscent of Nanos2-knockout phenotypes; NANOS2 acts as an antagonist of DAZL protein. Bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic system, microarray analysis, conditional 3'-UTR removal in vivo Nature communications High 27072294
2008 Germ cell-specific expression of DAZL is regulated epigenetically by DNA methylation of its promoter CpG region: CpG sites are largely unmethylated in germ cells but hypermethylated in somatic cells; methylation suppresses DAZL expression by interfering with SP1 binding to its binding site in the proximal promoter; demethylating agent induces DAZL expression in fibroblasts. Bisulfite sequencing, deletion reporter assays, in vitro methylation of reporter, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) Differentiation Medium 19281782
2020 DAZL mediates a broad translational program in undifferentiated spermatogonia by binding the 3' UTRs of ~2,500 protein-coding genes at a conserved UGUU(U/A) motif and increasing ribosome occupancy/translation of its targets to promote expansion and differentiation of spermatogonial progenitors. Conditional Dazl KO with in vivo biochemical approaches (eCLIP), ribosome occupancy sequencing, chemical synchronization of spermatogenesis eLife High 32686646
2017 DAZL stimulates translation of novel meiotic targets SYCP1, TEX11, and SMC1B via their 3'UTRs in human fetal ovary; a mutant DAZL with impaired RNA-binding activity fails to stimulate translation of these targets, demonstrating RNA binding is required for this function. RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA-seq from human fetal ovary, 3'UTR-luciferase reporter assays, polysome profile analysis, RNA-binding mutant DAZL Molecular human reproduction Medium 28364521
2022 DAZL directly binds to the loops of precursor miRNAs (pre-miRNAs) with sequence specificity for GUU and enhances DICER cleavage activity to promote miRNA maturation; this promotes maturation of >100 mature miRNAs including let-7 family members, inhibiting cell proliferation regulators (e.g., TRIM71) in human primordial germ cells. Biochemical binding assays (purified DAZL + pre-miRNA), in vitro DICER cleavage assay, miRNA profiling, cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis Nucleic acids research High 36273819
1999 The Drosophila DAZL orthologue Boule translocates from a premeiotically active perinuclear region to the cytoplasm at the onset of meiosis; cytoplasmic Boule regulates translation of twine (Cdc25-type phosphatase) mRNA, as shown by genetic rescue where heterologous Twine expression rescues the boule meiotic-entry defect. Genetic epistasis (twine-boule interaction); immunolocalization; genetic rescue by heterologous Twine expression Nature cell biology High 10559904
2009 DAZL functions in primordial germ cell formation from human embryonic stem cells, whereas closely related DAZ and BOULE promote later stages of meiosis and haploid gamete development; silencing DAZL reduces PGC derivation while overexpression promotes it. Germ cell reporter quantification; siRNA silencing and overexpression in human ESCs; FACS isolation of germ cells Nature High 19865085
2005 Human PUM2 and DAZL can bind the same RNA target; coimmunoprecipitation identified transcripts bound by both proteins, including sequences in the 3'UTR of SDAD1 mRNA, suggesting cooperative RNA binding between these germ cell-specific RNA-binding proteins. Co-immunoprecipitation of human transcripts; direct binding assay; NRE sequence mutagenesis Genomics Medium 15607425
2018 Translational suppression of DAZL in follicular oocytes is mediated in a 3'-UTR-dependent manner; overexpression of DAZL in follicular oocytes causes defective pre-implantation development, while follicular oocyte-specific Dazl KO yields normal pup numbers, demonstrating that post-transcriptional suppression of DAZL is required for functional oocyte development. Conditional knockout and transgenic overexpression in follicular oocytes; 3'-UTR reporter analysis; pup count as functional readout PLoS genetics Medium 29883445

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 100 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
1997 The mouse Dazla gene encodes a cytoplasmic protein essential for gametogenesis. Nature 505 9288969
2009 Human DAZL, DAZ and BOULE genes modulate primordial germ-cell and haploid gamete formation. Nature 386 19865085
2011 Genome-wide analysis of translation reveals a critical role for deleted in azoospermia-like (Dazl) at the oocyte-to-zygote transition. Genes & development 207 21460039
2007 Conserved and divergent patterns of expression of DAZL, VASA and OCT4 in the germ cells of the human fetal ovary and testis. BMC developmental biology 193 18088417
2005 The DAZL family proteins are PABP-binding proteins that regulate translation in germ cells. The EMBO journal 182 16001084
2011 Licensing of gametogenesis, dependent on RNA binding protein DAZL, as a gateway to sexual differentiation of fetal germ cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 154 21504946
2005 Dazl binds in vivo to specific transcripts and can regulate the pre-meiotic translation of Mvh in germ cells. Human molecular genetics 142 16278232
2005 Dazl deficiency leads to embryonic arrest of germ cell development in XY C57BL/6 mice. Developmental biology 139 16310179
2013 Identification of nine new susceptibility loci for testicular cancer, including variants near DAZL and PRDM14. Nature genetics 132 23666240
1999 Post-transcriptional regulation of the meiotic Cdc25 protein Twine by the Dazl orthologue Boule. Nature cell biology 132 10559904
2012 Divergent RNA-binding proteins, DAZL and VASA, induce meiotic progression in human germ cells derived in vitro. Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio) 131 22162380
1996 The human autosomal gene DAZLA: testis specificity and a candidate for male infertility. Human molecular genetics 130 8968756
2001 Nature of the spermatogenic arrest in Dazl -/- mice. Biology of reproduction 129 11514340
2000 Identification of two novel proteins that interact with germ-cell-specific RNA-binding proteins DAZ and DAZL1. Genomics 112 10857750
2010 Incorrect DNA methylation of the DAZL promoter CpG island associates with defective human sperm. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 110 20685756
2007 Translation of the synaptonemal complex component Sycp3 is enhanced in vivo by the germ cell specific regulator Dazl. RNA (New York, N.Y.) 100 17526644
1997 Gene sequence, localization, and evolutionary conservation of DAZLA, a candidate male sterility gene. Genomics 95 9143498
1996 A SPGY copy homologous to the mouse gene Dazla and the Drosophila gene boule is autosomal and expressed only in the human male gonad. Human molecular genetics 95 8968755
1999 A human DAZ transgene confers partial rescue of the mouse Dazl null phenotype. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 93 10393944
2009 Dazl functions in maintenance of pluripotency and genetic and epigenetic programs of differentiation in mouse primordial germ cells in vivo and in vitro. PloS one 92 19468308
2009 The DAZL and PABP families: RNA-binding proteins with interrelated roles in translational control in oocytes. Reproduction (Cambridge, England) 89 19225045
2018 DAZL is a master translational regulator of murine spermatogenesis. National science review 85 31355046
2009 Dazl promotes germ cell differentiation from embryonic stem cells. Journal of molecular cell biology 78 19783541
2014 DAZL limits pluripotency, differentiation, and apoptosis in developing primordial germ cells. Stem cell reports 75 25418731
1998 The Dazh gene is expressed in male and female embryonic gonads before germ cell sex differentiation. Biochemical and biophysical research communications 75 9588208
2016 DAZL and CPEB1 regulate mRNA translation synergistically during oocyte maturation. Journal of cell science 74 26826184
2001 Expression of axolotl DAZL RNA, a marker of germ plasm: widespread maternal RNA and onset of expression in germ cells approaching the gonad. Developmental biology 73 11397009
2001 The RNA-binding specificity of the mouse Dazl protein. Nucleic acids research 73 11410654
2009 DAZL relieves miRNA-mediated repression of germline mRNAs by controlling poly(A) tail length in zebrafish. PloS one 71 19838299
2012 DAZL is essential for stress granule formation implicated in germ cell survival upon heat stress. Development (Cambridge, England) 70 22223682
1998 Biphasic subcellular localization of the DAZL-related protein boule in Drosophila spermatogenesis. Developmental biology 70 9882490
2015 DAZL Expression Explains Origin and Central Formation of Primordial Germ Cells in Chickens. Stem cells and development 68 26414995
2005 Identification and characterization of RNA sequences to which human PUMILIO-2 (PUM2) and deleted in Azoospermia-like (DAZL) bind. Genomics 68 15607425
2000 Association of the mouse infertility factor DAZL1 with actively translating polyribosomes. Biology of reproduction 65 10819768
2018 DAZL Regulates Germ Cell Survival through a Network of PolyA-Proximal mRNA Interactions. Cell reports 61 30380414
2005 DAZL expression in human oocytes, preimplantation embryos and embryonic stem cells. Molecular human reproduction 55 15879466
2020 The RNA-binding protein DAZL functions as repressor and activator of mRNA translation during oocyte maturation. Nature communications 53 32170089
2006 Dazl can bind to dynein motor complex and may play a role in transport of specific mRNAs. The EMBO journal 53 16946704
2009 Evolutionary conservation of Dazl genomic organization and its continuous and dynamic distribution throughout germline development in gynogenetic gibel carp. Journal of experimental zoology. Part B, Molecular and developmental evolution 52 19504540
2011 Kinked β-strands mediate high-affinity recognition of mRNA targets by the germ-cell regulator DAZL. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 50 22021443
2006 Novel missense mutations of the Deleted-in-AZoospermia-Like (DAZL) gene in infertile women and men. Reproductive biology and endocrinology : RB&E 48 16884537
2006 Cloning and expression of medaka dazl during embryogenesis and gametogenesis. Gene expression patterns : GEP 47 16979959
2000 Loss of oocytes in Dazl knockout mice results in maintained ovarian steroidogenic function but altered gonadotropin secretion in adult animals. Endocrinology 47 11089564
2011 Differential conservation and divergence of fertility genes boule and dazl in the rainbow trout. PloS one 44 21253610
2004 Expression profiling of the developing testis in wild-type and Dazl knockout mice. Molecular reproduction and development 44 14648873
1998 Expression of DAZ (deleted in azoospermia), DAZL1 (DAZ-like) and protamine-2 in testis and its application for diagnosis of spermatogenesis in non-obstructive azoospermia. Molecular human reproduction 44 9783841
2009 Expression of Dazl and Vasa in turtle embryos and ovaries: evidence for inductive specification of germ cells. Evolution & development 42 19754709
2020 DAZL mediates a broad translational program regulating expansion and differentiation of spermatogonial progenitors. eLife 41 32686646
2002 Partial rescue of the Dazl knockout mouse by the human DAZL gene. Molecular human reproduction 41 12200456
2001 Expression patterns and transcript concentrations of the autosomal DAZL gene in testes of azoospermic men. Molecular human reproduction 41 11675467
1999 Human DAZL1 encodes a candidate fertility factor in women that localizes to the prenatal and postnatal germ cells. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 41 10527983
2021 Zebrafish dazl regulates cystogenesis and germline stem cell specification during the primordial germ cell to germline stem cell transition. Development (Cambridge, England) 40 33722898
2013 Altered DNA methylation patterns of the H19 differentially methylated region and the DAZL gene promoter are associated with defective human sperm. PloS one 37 24015185
2016 Dazl is a critical player for primordial germ cell formation in medaka. Scientific reports 34 27328644
2010 Conserved expression pattern of chicken DAZL in primordial germ cells and germ-line cells. Theriogenology 34 20537692
2005 Variants in Deleted in AZoospermia-Like (DAZL) are correlated with reproductive parameters in men and women. Human genetics 34 16328470
2004 DAZL polymorphisms and susceptibility to spermatogenic failure: an example of remarkable ethnic differences. International journal of andrology 33 15595957
1997 A putative human male infertility gene DAZLA: genomic structure and methylation status. Molecular human reproduction 33 9294855
2016 Dazl is a target RNA suppressed by mammalian NANOS2 in sexually differentiating male germ cells. Nature communications 32 27072294
2009 Characterization of a Dazl-GFP germ cell-specific reporter. Genesis (New York, N.Y. : 2000) 32 19133679
2000 Dynamic subcellular distribution of the DAZL protein is confined to primate male germ cells. Journal of andrology 32 10819456
2000 In vivo and in vitro analysis of homodimerisation activity of the mouse Dazl1 protein. Gene 32 10903443
2000 The DAZL1 gene is expressed in human male and female embryonic gonads before meiosis. Molecular human reproduction 31 10775651
2004 No association of the A260G and A386G DAZL single nucleotide polymorphisms with male infertility in a Caucasian population. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 29 15520024
2008 An epigenetic mechanism regulates germ cell-specific expression of the porcine Deleted in Azoospermia-Like (DAZL) gene. Differentiation; research in biological diversity 28 19281782
2004 Lack of the T54A polymorphism of the DAZL gene in infertile Italian patients. Molecular human reproduction 27 15220464
2001 Characterization of the mouse Dazap1 gene encoding an RNA-binding protein that interacts with infertility factors DAZ and DAZL. BMC genomics 27 11604102
2014 The roles of DAZL in RNA biology and development. Wiley interdisciplinary reviews. RNA 26 24715697
2014 Association between DAZL polymorphisms and susceptibility to male infertility: systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis. Scientific reports 26 24717865
2016 Is there a role for DAZL in human female fertility? Molecular human reproduction 25 26989066
2009 Sterile testis complementation with spermatogonial lines restores fertility to DAZL-deficient rats and maximizes donor germline transmission. PloS one 25 19621088
2002 Presence of DAZL transcript and protein in mature human spermatozoa. Fertility and sterility 25 11872225
2006 A to G transitions at 260, 386 and 437 in DAZL gene are not associated with spermatogenic failure in Indian population. International journal of andrology 24 16573709
2013 A developmental stage-specific switch from DAZL to BOLL occurs during fetal oogenesis in humans, but not mice. PloS one 23 24086306
2013 Mouse Dazl and its novel splice variant functions in translational repression of target mRNAs in embryonic stem cells. Biochimica et biophysica acta 22 23298641
2011 HuB (elavl2) mRNA is restricted to the germ cells by post-transcriptional mechanisms including stabilisation of the message by DAZL. PloS one 22 21695151
2015 Differential expression of fertility genes boule and dazl in Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis), a basal fish. Cell and tissue research 21 25592848
2015 DAZL regulates Tet1 translation in murine embryonic stem cells. EMBO reports 20 26077710
2006 Association of DAZL haplotypes with spermatogenic failure in infertile men. Fertility and sterility 20 16730721
2001 Localization of a specific germ cell marker, DAZL1, in testicular germ cell neoplasias. Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology 20 11956819
2020 Suppressing Dazl modulates tumorigenicity and stemness in human glioblastoma cells. BMC cancer 19 32682409
2017 RNA immunoprecipitation identifies novel targets of DAZL in human foetal ovary. Molecular human reproduction 19 28364521
2017 In silico analysis of non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms in human DAZL gene associated with male infertility. Systems biology in reproductive medicine 19 28388287
2016 Highly conserved epigenetic regulation of BOULE and DAZL is associated with human fertility. FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 19 27358391
1999 Mice with Y chromosome deletion and reduced Rbm genes on a heterozygous Dazl1 null background mimic a human azoospermic factor phenotype. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 19 10601091
2016 Overexpression of STRA8, BOULE, and DAZL Genes Promotes Goat Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells In Vitro Transdifferentiation Toward Putative Male Germ Cells. Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) 18 27342271
2016 Over Expression of NANOS3 and DAZL in Human Embryonic Stem Cells. PloS one 18 27768780
2011 DAZL 260A > G and MTHFR 677C > T variants in sperm DNA of infertile Indian men. Indian journal of biochemistry & biophysics 18 22329245
2008 Follicle-stimulating hormone receptor and DAZL gene polymorphisms do not affect the age of menopause. Fertility and sterility 18 18178196
2005 Survey of the two polymorphisms in DAZL, an autosomal candidate for the azoospermic factor, in Japanese infertile men and implications for male infertility. Molecular human reproduction 18 16123080
1999 Existence of human DAZLA protein in the cytoplasm of human oocytes. Molecular human reproduction 18 10340994
2018 Requirement of the 3'-UTR-dependent suppression of DAZL in oocytes for pre-implantation mouse development. PLoS genetics 17 29883445
2015 Gonad specific genes in Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar L.): characterization of tdrd7-2, dazl-2, piwil1 and tdrd1 genes. Gene 17 25668702
2012 A single-nucleotide polymorphism of the DAZL gene promoter confers susceptibility to spermatogenic failure in the Taiwanese Han. Human reproduction (Oxford, England) 17 22752612
2003 Spermatogenesis in testes of Dazl null mice after transplantation of wild-type germ cells. Reproduction (Cambridge, England) 17 14611632
2022 DAZL regulates proliferation of human primordial germ cells by direct binding to precursor miRNAs and enhances DICER processing activity. Nucleic acids research 16 36273819
2014 Stage-dependent DAZL localization in stallion germ cells. Animal reproduction science 16 24746554
2009 DAZL binds to 3'UTR of Tex19.1 mRNAs and regulates Tex19.1 expression. Molecular biology reports 16 19247806
2007 Deleted in Azoospermia-Like (DAZL) gene-expressing cells in human amniotic fluid: a new source for germ cells research? Fertility and sterility 16 18023443
2000 The expression of DAZL1 in the ovary of the human female fetus. Fertility and sterility 16 10689024