The
mau-2 mRNA levels were investigated in the germline by comparing wild-type young adults with adults carrying mutations that affect the germline. The
mau-2 transcript level is extremely reduced in
glp-4(
bn2ts) mutants, which fail to develop a germline at 25C, indicating that most of the
mau-2 mRNA in young adults is in the germline. Furthermore, the level of the
mau-2 transcript is very high in
fem-2(
b245ts) mutants that make only oocytes at 25C, indicating that the oocytes are enriched with
mau-2 transcript. However, the
mau-2 transcript is very low in
fem-3(
q20ts) adults that make sperm only at 25C, indicating that the
mau-2 transcript is not enriched in sperm. Taken together, these results indicate that oocytes accumulate high levels of
mau-2 mRNA, presumably as a store to be used by the embryo.