Affinage

TDRD1

Tudor domain-containing protein 1 · UniProt Q9BXT4

Length
1180 aa
Mass
132.0 kDa
Annotated
2026-06-10
20 papers in source corpus 10 papers cited in narrative 9 extracted findings
Cross-family judge vs UniProt: Affinage preferred faithfulness: 8/8 claims corpus-supported (100%)

Mechanistic narrative

Synthesis pass · prose summary of the discoveries below

TDRD1 is a multi-Tudor domain scaffold protein essential for the assembly of germ-cell nuage and the piRNA pathway that silences transposons during spermatogenesis (PMID:17038506, PMID:39029469). It localizes to intermitochondrial cement downstream of MVH/DDX4, and its targeted disruption abolishes intermitochondrial cement and causes male sterility, while leaving chromatoid bodies intact (PMID:17038506). TDRD1 assembles ribonucleoprotein complexes at nuage with TDRD6 and TDRD7 and engages PIWI-family proteins, binding MILI and MIWI in mouse testis and Ziwi/Zili in zebrafish through sequence-specific recognition of symmetrically dimethylated arginines (sDMAs) by its tandem Tudor domains (PMID:17141210, PMID:19735482, PMID:21743441). Crystallographic and biophysical analysis shows the four extended Tudor domains differ in affinity for methylated MILI peptides—TD2 and TD3 binding most strongly through an aromatic cage—and adopt a flexible, elongated architecture (PMID:22996915). TDRD1 complexes contain piRNAs and longer Piwi-pathway target transcripts, and its loss impairs piRNA-pathway activity and nuage formation (PMID:21743441). Mechanistically, TDRD1 is recruited to mitochondria by MILI and then drives intermitochondrial cement assembly via liquid-liquid phase separation powered by cooperation between its tetramerizing coiled-coil and sDMA-binding Tudor domains; phase-separation-deficient mice show disrupted cement, impaired piRNA biogenesis, transposon de-repression and spermatogenic arrest (PMID:39029469). TDRD1 expression is transcriptionally controlled in germline and cancer contexts—activated by TCF7L2/Wnt during spermatogonial stem cell formation and by ERG in prostate cancer through promoter demethylation (PMID:23319146, PMID:23555854, PMID:35790000). In prostate cancer cells, aberrantly expressed TDRD1 binds methylated Sm proteins in a PRMT5-dependent manner and the Cajal body scaffold Coilin, supporting snRNP biogenesis, Cajal body integrity and cell proliferation (PMID:37041411).

Mechanistic history

Synthesis pass · year-by-year structured walk · 9 steps
  1. 2006 High

    Established TDRD1 as a genetically required component of intermitochondrial cement positioned downstream of MVH/DDX4, defining its place in nuage assembly and male fertility.

    Evidence Targeted knockout in mice with immunofluorescence and epistasis analysis in Mvh/Ddx4 mutants

    PMID:17038506

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not define molecular binding partners
    • Mechanism of cement assembly unknown at this stage
  2. 2006 High

    Showed TDRD1 acts within a multi-Tudor RNP with TDRD6/TDRD7 and that its repeated Tudor architecture is functionally essential, framing it as a scaffold rather than a single-domain effector.

    Evidence Reciprocal Co-IP, co-localization, and dominant-negative overexpression of truncated Tudor constructs in mouse germ cells

    PMID:17141210

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not identify the RNA cargo of the complex
    • Direct binding interface undefined
  3. 2009 High

    Connected TDRD1 directly to PIWI proteins by demonstrating physical binding to MILI and MIWI required for their integrated localization and chromatoid body formation.

    Evidence Co-IP from adult mouse testis and immunofluorescence in MIWI-null mutants

    PMID:19735482

    Open questions at the time
    • Molecular basis of TDRD1–PIWI binding not yet resolved
    • Functional consequence for piRNA biogenesis not directly measured
  4. 2011 High

    Defined the molecular logic of TDRD1–PIWI recognition as Tudor domain binding to symmetrically dimethylated arginines and linked the complex to piRNA biogenesis intermediates.

    Evidence Co-IP, RNA sequencing of Tdrd1 complexes, and loss-of-function in zebrafish

    PMID:21743441

    Open questions at the time
    • Structural detail of sDMA recognition not resolved
    • Differential roles of individual Tudor domains unknown
  5. 2012 High

    Resolved at atomic resolution how the four tandem Tudor domains differentially read methylated PIWI peptides, revealing domain-specific affinities and a flexible elongated scaffold.

    Evidence X-ray crystallography of TD3–peptide complex, ITC/fluorescence binding, NMR, SAXS and mutagenesis

    PMID:22996915

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not test in vivo consequences of individual domain mutations
    • Higher-order assembly of full-length protein unaddressed
  6. 2013 Medium

    Identified the transcriptional and epigenetic control of TDRD1 in cancer, showing ERG and promoter demethylation drive its aberrant expression in prostate cancer.

    Evidence ERG knockdown, promoter reporter and ERG-site mutation, MeDIP-Seq, bisulfite sequencing and DNMT inhibitor treatment in prostate cancer cells

    PMID:23319146 PMID:23555854

    Open questions at the time
    • Did not address TDRD1 protein function in cancer
    • Causal role in tumor phenotype untested here
  7. 2022 Medium

    Extended transcriptional regulation of TDRD1 to germline stem cell biology, placing it downstream of Wnt/TCF7L2 in spermatogonial stem cell formation.

    Evidence Reporter assay, ChIP, bisulfite sequencing and TDRD1 gain/loss-of-function in SSC formation assays

    PMID:35790000

    Open questions at the time
    • Mechanistic role of TDRD1 protein in SSC formation not defined
    • Link to piRNA pathway in this context untested
  8. 2023 Medium

    Revealed a piRNA-independent moonlighting function of TDRD1 in cancer cells, where it supports snRNP biogenesis and Cajal body integrity through PRMT5-dependent Sm protein and Coilin interactions.

    Evidence Mass spectrometry interactome, Co-IP, and TDRD1 ablation with proliferation and Cajal body readouts in prostate cancer cells

    PMID:37041411

    Open questions at the time
    • Whether this function operates in normal germ cells unknown
    • Direct structural basis of Sm/Coilin binding not shown
  9. 2024 High

    Defined the biophysical mechanism of nuage assembly, showing TDRD1 drives intermitochondrial cement formation by phase separation requiring its coiled-coil and Tudor domains, downstream of MILI recruitment.

    Evidence In vitro and cellular phase separation assays, domain mutagenesis, phase-separation-deficient mouse models, piRNA sequencing and transposon analysis

    PMID:39029469

    Open questions at the time
    • Composition and dynamics of the condensate not fully mapped
    • How condensate enhances piRNA processing biochemically unresolved

Open questions

Synthesis pass · forward-looking unresolved questions
  • How TDRD1's germline phase-separation/piRNA scaffold function relates mechanistically to its snRNP/Cajal body role in cancer, and whether these reflect one biochemical activity deployed in different contexts, remains unresolved.
  • No unified model linking germline and cancer functions
  • No structural model of full-length TDRD1 in either condensate

Mechanism profile

Synthesis pass · controlled-vocabulary classification · explore literature graph →
Molecular activity
GO:0060090 molecular adaptor activity 3 GO:0008092 cytoskeletal protein binding 2 GO:0003723 RNA binding 1
Localization
GO:0005739 mitochondrion 2 GO:0005730 nucleolus 1 GO:0005829 cytosol 1
Pathway
R-HSA-8953854 Metabolism of RNA 3 R-HSA-1474165 Reproduction 2
Complex memberships
Cajal body (Coilin scaffold)intermitochondrial cement/nuage piRNA RNP

Evidence

Reading pass · 9 per-paper findings extracted from the source corpus
Year Finding Method Journal Conf PMIDs
2006 TDRD1/MTR-1 localizes to nuage/germinal granules (intermitochondrial cement) in male germ cells, and its intracellular localization is downstream of MVH/DDX4 (mouse vasa homologue). Targeted mutation of Tdrd1 causes male sterility with loss of intermitochondrial cement but retention of chromatoid bodies, establishing TDRD1 as essential for intermitochondrial cement formation downstream of MVH. Targeted gene knockout in mice, immunofluorescence localization, analysis of Mvh/Ddx4 mutants Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America High 17038506
2006 TDRD1/MTR-1 forms a ribonucleoprotein complex together with TDRD6 and TDRD7/TRAP at nuage in male germ cells. Their co-localization to nuage is disrupted in Mvh/Ddx4 mutants. Over-expression of truncated single Tudor domain forms acts as dominant negatives detrimental to meiotic spermatocytes, indicating the repeated Tudor domain architecture is functionally essential. Co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence co-localization, in vivo over-expression of truncated constructs, analysis in Mvh mutant mice Developmental biology High 17141210
2009 TDRD1/MTR-1 physically binds both MILI and MIWI (mouse PIWI proteins) in adult testis. Complex formation among MILI, MIWI, and TDRD1 is critical for their integrated subcellular localization; in MIWI-null round spermatids, MILI and TDRD1 localizations are altered and chromatoid body formation is impaired. Co-immunoprecipitation from adult mouse testes, immunofluorescence localization in MIWI-null mutants Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms High 19735482
2011 Zebrafish Tdrd1 binds both Piwi proteins Ziwi and Zili via sequence-specific interactions between its Tudor domains and symmetrically dimethylated arginines (sDMAs) on Zili. Tdrd1 complexes contain piRNAs and longer RNA molecules (Tdrd1-associated transcripts, TATs) likely representing cleaved Piwi pathway targets and piRNA biogenesis intermediates. Tdrd1 is required for efficient Piwi-pathway activity and proper nuage formation. Co-immunoprecipitation, RNA sequencing of Tdrd1 complexes, loss-of-function analysis in zebrafish, biochemical pulldown The EMBO journal High 21743441
2012 The four extended Tudor domains (TDs) of murine TDRD1 show differential binding affinity for symmetrically dimethylated arginine (sDMA)-containing peptides from MILI: TD2 and TD3 preferentially bind consecutive MILI peptides, TD4 has lower affinity, and TD1 has very weak affinity but can be restored by a single point mutation restoring the consensus aromatic cage. Crystal structure of TD3 bound to a methylated MILI peptide reveals an unexpected peptide orientation with contacts outside the aromatic cage. SAXS data show the four tandem Tudor domains adopt a flexible, elongated shape. Binding affinity measurements (ITC/fluorescence), pulldown with endogenous Piwi proteins, X-ray crystallography of TD3-peptide complex, NMR titration, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), site-directed mutagenesis RNA (New York, N.Y.) High 22996915
2013 ERG transcription factor directly activates TDRD1 transcription in prostate cancer by binding a functional ERG binding site in the TDRD1 promoter. ERG governs loss of DNA methylation at the TDRD1 promoter-associated CpG island, and demethylation of the promoter in ERG-negative cancer cells by DNA methyltransferase inhibitors induces TDRD1 expression. shRNA knockdown of ERG in VCaP cells, TDRD1 promoter reporter assay, mutation analysis of ERG binding site, MeDIP-Seq, bisulfite sequencing, DNMT inhibitor treatment International journal of cancer / PloS one Medium 23319146 23555854
2023 In prostate cancer cells, TDRD1 interacts with multiple subunits of the snRNP biogenesis machinery. In the cytoplasm, TDRD1 binds methylated Sm proteins in a PRMT5-dependent manner; in the nucleus, TDRD1 interacts with Coilin, the scaffold protein of Cajal bodies. Ablation of TDRD1 disrupts Cajal body integrity, impairs snRNP biogenesis, and reduces prostate cancer cell proliferation. Mass spectrometry interactome analysis, Co-immunoprecipitation, TDRD1 ablation (knockdown/knockout) with cell proliferation and Cajal body integrity readouts Oncogene Medium 37041411
2024 TDRD1 drives intermitochondrial cement (IMC) assembly via liquid-liquid phase separation. Phase separation is driven by cooperation between the tetramerized coiled-coil domain and dimethylarginine-binding Tudor domains, but is independent of the intrinsically disordered region. TDRD1 is recruited to mitochondria by MILI, then sequentially enhances mitochondrial clustering and triggers IMC assembly via phase separation to promote piRNA processing. Mice with TDRD1 phase separation deficiency show disrupted IMC assembly, impaired piRNA biogenesis, transposon de-repression, and spermatogenic arrest. This mechanism is conserved in vertebrates but not in invertebrates. Phase separation assays in vitro and in cells, domain mutagenesis (coiled-coil, Tudor domain mutants, IDR deletion), mouse genetic models with phase separation-deficient TDRD1, piRNA sequencing, transposon expression analysis, mitochondrial clustering assays Developmental cell High 39029469
2022 TCF7L2 (Wnt pathway transcription factor) binds to and activates the TDRD1 promoter to regulate TDRD1 expression during spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) formation; this binding depends on low DNA methylation at the promoter CpG sites. Overexpression of TDRD1 promotes SSC formation while knockdown has the opposite effect, placing TDRD1 downstream of Wnt/TCF7L2 in SSC biogenesis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, bisulfite sequencing, ChIP, TDRD1 overexpression and knockdown in SSC formation assay (in vitro and in vivo), flow cytometry Journal of cellular physiology Medium 35790000

Source papers

Stage 0 corpus · 20 papers · ranked by NIH iCite citations
Year Title Journal Citations PMID
2006 Tdrd1/Mtr-1, a tudor-related gene, is essential for male germ-cell differentiation and nuage/germinal granule formation in mice. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 204 17038506
2006 Tudor-related proteins TDRD1/MTR-1, TDRD6 and TDRD7/TRAP: domain composition, intracellular localization, and function in male germ cells in mice. Developmental biology 127 17141210
2011 Tdrd1 acts as a molecular scaffold for Piwi proteins and piRNA targets in zebrafish. The EMBO journal 68 21743441
2009 Associations between PIWI proteins and TDRD1/MTR-1 are critical for integrated subcellular localization in murine male germ cells. Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms 58 19735482
2013 Identification of TDRD1 as a direct target gene of ERG in primary prostate cancer. International journal of cancer 56 23319146
2012 The multiple Tudor domain-containing protein TDRD1 is a molecular scaffold for mouse Piwi proteins and piRNA biogenesis factors. RNA (New York, N.Y.) 47 22996915
2014 Methylation of PITX2, HOXD3, RASSF1 and TDRD1 predicts biochemical recurrence in high-risk prostate cancer. Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 25 24938434
2013 ERG induces epigenetic activation of Tudor domain-containing protein 1 (TDRD1) in ERG rearrangement-positive prostate cancer. PloS one 24 23555854
2020 Testicular expression of TDRD1, TDRD5, TDRD9 and TDRD12 in azoospermia. BMC medical genetics 23 32059713
2015 Gonad specific genes in Atlantic salmon (Salmon salar L.): characterization of tdrd7-2, dazl-2, piwil1 and tdrd1 genes. Gene 18 25668702
2024 TDRD1 phase separation drives intermitochondrial cement assembly to promote piRNA biogenesis and fertility. Developmental cell 16 39029469
2016 The Germ Cell Gene TDRD1 as an ERG Target Gene and a Novel Prostate Cancer Biomarker. The Prostate 16 27272765
2018 tdrd1 is a germline-specific and sexually dimorphically expressed gene in Paralichthys olivaceus. Gene 14 29920365
2016 Association of a TDRD1 variant with spermatogenic failure susceptibility in the Han Chinese. Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics 11 27233649
2023 The cancer testis antigen TDRD1 regulates prostate cancer proliferation by associating with the snRNP biogenesis machinery. Oncogene 7 37041411
2022 DNA hypomethylation activation Wnt/TCF7L2/TDRD1 pathway promotes spermatogonial stem cell formation. Journal of cellular physiology 5 35790000
2020 Upregulation of TDRD1 Promotes the Sexual Maturation in Allotetraploids Hybridized from Red Crucian Carp (Carassius auratus Red var) (♀) and Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L) (♂). Journal of proteome research 3 32286072
2023 H3K4me2 cooperates with Wnt/TCF7L2 to regulate TDRD1 and promote chicken spermatogonia stem cell formation. Poultry science 2 36921513
2022 Characteristics of the TDRD1 gene promoter in chickens. Molecular genetics and genomics : MGG 2 35347417
2023 The cancer testis antigen TDRD1 regulates prostate cancer proliferation by associating with snRNP biogenesis machinery. Research square 0 36865141

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