1. C. elegans P granule localization
MBL Physiology Course
Summer 2019

2. P granules change localization throughout the C. elegans life cycle
Typically associated with nuclear pore complexes (NPCs), dissociate in oocyte, then polarize and eventually reassociate in the primordial germ cells of the embryo
Act as ‘mRNA surveillance’ to store rna as it comes out of the NPCs and then release it later to be translated in the cytoplasm
No evidence they sequester damaged transcripts
Seydoux, J. Mol. Biol. (2018)

3. What mechanism mediates polarization of P granules to the germ cell?
Courtesy of Cliff Brangwynne

4. Intro to tracking

5. Intro to tracking

6. Flow is not responsible for P granule localization
Brangwynne et al., Science (2009)

7. P granules in the anterior dissolve while those in the posterior condense
Brangwynne et al., Science (2009)

8. Condensation-dissolution model of P granule localization
Brangwynne et al., Science (2009)

9. What induces the symmetry breaking?
Smith et al., eLife (2016)
Seydoux, J. Mol. Biol. (2018)