Kim-Ha, J., Smith, J.L. and Macdonald, P.M. (1991).
oskar mRNA is localized to the posterior pole of the Drosophila oocyte.
Cell 66, 23-35.
Abstract
Mutants of the maternal posterior-group genes of Drosophila lack posterior body pattern elements and germ cells, both of which form through the action of determinants localized to the posterior pole of the oocyte. Here we report that transcripts of one of these genes, oskar (osk), become localized to the posterior pole of oocytes shortly after the oocyte begins to visibly differentiate. Analysis of various posterior group mutants reveals that localization of osk mRNA is an early step in the posterior localization pathway. In addition, we find that nonsense osk mutations disrupt osk mRNA localization, while missense osk mutations do not.