Fig. 4

Larval gonads labeled with Vasa (green), DAPI and F-actin (phalloidin). (A,A′,C,C′,E,E′,G,G′,I,I′) Single confocal plane of dazl^ae57/+ gonad showing cystogenesis between 8-14 days. (A,A′,C,C′,E,E′) Clustered Vasa+ individuals (white arrowheads) in the first step of cystogenesis with compaction and compartmentalization into irregular nuclear Vasa+ and Vasa− domains (C,C′,D,D′) at 8-10 days. Although initial compaction and compartmentalization occurs in mutants, wild-type GCs form cysts with multiple nuclei evident (E,E′, aqua arrowhead), whereas the pretransition morphology is observed in dazl mutants (F,F′). (G,G′) Amplification of GC numbers and round shaped nuclei with one to two nucleoli (yellow arrowheads) at 12 days (n=3). The shared tricellular junction is marked by a blue asterisk. (I,I′) Cyst cells with premeiotic nuclei and prominent nucleolus (white arrowhead). dazl^ae57/+ [8 days, n=3 (A,A′); 8 days, n=6 (C,C′); 10 days, n=11; 12 days, n=5; 14 days, n=6]. (B,B′,D,D′,F,F′,H,H′,J,J′) age-matched dazl^ae57/ae57 gonads. All dazl^ae57/ae57 germ cells end up as individuals with convoluted DNA (white arrows) lacking cyst organization. dazlae^57/ae57 [8 days, n=6 (B,B′); 8 days, n=2 (D,D′); 10 days, n=5; 12 days, n=2; 14 days, n=7). (K) Quantification of categories between 8-14 days in dazlae^57/+ and dazlae^57/ae57 gonads. Categories match the corresponding box at the top right. (L) Quantification of cells/cyst at 8-14 days in dazlae^57/+ and dazlae^57/ae57 gonads. Cells in transition-amplification stage were not quantified because cell boundaries were not reliably distinguishable. Error bars represent s.d.