Mcm10 is required for oogenesis and early embryogenesis in Drosophila

Highlights

• Mcm10 is dispensable for adult somatic viability.

• Mcm10 is a maternal effect gene.

• Mcm10 depletion causes genomic instability during syncytial embryonic divisions.

• Mcm10 functions in the development or maintenance of the female germline.

Abstract

Efficient replication of the genome and the establishment of endogenous chromatin states are processes that are essential to eukaryotic life. It is well documented that Mcm10 is intimately linked to both of these important biological processes; therefore, it is not surprising that Mcm10 is commonly misregulated in many human cancers. Most of the research regarding the biological roles of Mcm10 has been performed in single-cell or cell-free in-vitro systems. Though these systems are informative, they are unable to provide information on the cell-specific function of Mcm10 in the context of the tissue and organ systems that comprise multicellular eukaryotes. We therefore sought to identify the potential biological functions of Mcm10 in the context of a complex multicellular organism by continuing our analysis in Drosophila using three novel hypomorphic alleles. Observation of embryonic nuclear morphology and quantification of embryo hatch rates reveal that maternal loading of Mcm10 is required for embryonic nuclear stability, and suggest a role for Mcm10 post zygotic transition. Contrary to the essential nature of Mcm10 depicted in the literature, it does not appear to be required for adult viability in Drosophila if embryonic requirements are met. Although not required for adult somatic viability, analysis of fecundity and ovarian morphology in mutant females suggest that Mcm10 plays a role in maintenance of the female germline. Taken together, our results demonstrate critical roles for Mcm10 during early embryogenesis, and mark the first data linking Mcm10 to female specific reproduction in multicellular eukaryotes.