Background of the antigen
Nanos1is a 292 amino acid protein that localizes to the perinuclear region of the cytoplasm and contains one nanos-type zinc finger. Expressed at high levels in spermatogonia and present at lower levels in fetal ovaries, Nanos1 forms a complex with Pumilio 2 and functions to regulate the translation of select mRNAs, specifically via association with the 3’-UTR of its mRNA targets. Additionally, Nanos1 is required for the establishment and maintenance of germline stem cells, as it prevents their premature entry into oogenesis. The gene encoding Nanos1 maps to human chromosome 10, which houses over 1,200 genes and comprises nearly 4.5% of the human genome. Defects in some of the genes that map to chromosome 10 are associated with Charcot-Marie Tooth disease, Jackson-Weiss syndrome, Usher syndrome, nonsyndromatic deafness, Wolman’s syndrome, Cowden syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 and porphyria.
