{ "abstract": "Stress granules (SGs) are dynamic ribonucleoprotein condensates that enable cells to adapt to environmental stress, yet their functions and regulation in the germline remain incompletely understood. Here, we characterize GTBP-1, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of human G3BP1, and investigate its role in heat stress responses and reproductive homeostasis. gtbp-1 mutants exhibit temperature-dependent reproductive phenotypes. Under normal growth conditions, GTBP-1 is diffusely distributed in the cytoplasm, whereas heat stress induces the formation of prominent GTBP-1 granules in the germline. Domain analysis revealed that the NTF2 domain is required for heat stress-induced GTBP-1 enrichment in granules, while the IDR, RRM, and RGG domains contribute to GTBP-1 granule dynamics. Among the known germ granule compartments, GTBP-1 granules showed the strongest association with P-bodies, and disruption of P-body components markedly reduces GTBP-1 enrichment. RNAi-based candidate screening identified PQN-59, LAF-1, and SMO-1 as regulators of GTBP-1 enrichment, while a forward genetic screen revealed that loss of the mTOR effector RSKS-1 suppresses the fertility defect of gtbp-1 mutants and alters heat stress-induced GTBP-1 enrichment. Together, these findings identify a role for GTBP-1 in temperature-dependent reproductive homeostasis and reveal an association between heat stress-induced GTBP-1 granules and P-bodies in C. elegans. Author summary: Reproduction is particularly vulnerable to environmental stress, yet germ cells must remain functional to ensure fertility. How germ cells protect themselves under stressful conditions is still not well understood. In this study, we used the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to examine how germ cells respond to heat stress, focusing on GTBP-1, a conserved protein involved in stress granule formation. We found that GTBP-1 has temperature-dependent effects on reproduction: it restrains reproduction under normal conditions but is required for reproductive fitness under heat stress. When animals are exposed to elevated temperature, GTBP-1 rapidly forms granules in germ cells. These granules show their strongest association with P-bodies, another type of RNA-containing structure, highlighting a close spatial relationship between these two RNA-rich compartments. We also found that this process is regulated by factors involved in RNA regulation, protein modification, and mTOR-dependent signaling. Together, our findings show how germ cells reorganize RNA–protein assemblies in response to heat stress and provide new insight into the regulation of reproductive homeostasis under changing environmental conditions.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.", "Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Haining, China.", "Department of Biology, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China." ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 12, "authors": [ { "name": "Diya Zang" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Yifan Jing" }, { "name": "Xinya Huang" }, { "name": "Yan Kuang" }, { "name": "Jiewei Cheng" }, { "name": "Wenkai Wang" }, { "name": "Demin Xu" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Chengming Zhu" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Di Chen", "orcid": "0000-0002-0514-7947" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Zhongying Zhao", "orcid": "0000-0003-2743-9008" }, { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Xuezhu Feng", "orcid": "0000-0003-1440-210X" }, { "name": "Shouhong Guang", "orcid": "0000-0001-7700-9634" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24t8pd709g7en.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336", "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336", "id": "24t8pd709g7en", "issns": [ "1553-7404", "1553-7390" ], "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336", "language": "eng", "licence": "CC-BY", "licence_label": "CC BY", "licence_source": "article", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "1312|RNA Research and Splicing" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Nucleic acids/RNA/RNA interference" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Biochemistry/Proteins/Protein domains" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cell processes/Cellular stress responses/Heat shock response" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Developmental biology/Embryology/Embryos" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Epigenetics/RNA interference" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression/RNA interference" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene identification and analysis/Genetic screens" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Genetic interference/RNA interference" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Organisms/Eukaryota/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Physiology/Physiological processes/Homeostasis" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Zoology/Animals/Invertebrates/Nematoda/Caenorhabditis/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Physics/Classical mechanics/Mechanical stress/Thermal stresses" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Animal models/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Animal studies/Experimental organism systems/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Model organisms/Caenorhabditis elegans" ] ], "openalex": "W7220860110", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336&type=printable", "pmcid": "PMC13671640", "pmid": "42842631", "published": "2026-10-07", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24t8pd709g7en.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:30Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336", "source": "plos", "url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosgenetics/article?id=10.1371/journal.pgen.1012336" }, { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z", "native_id": "MED:42842631", "source": "europepmc", "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42842631" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:genetics", "subfield": "genetics-genomics" } ], "title": "Heat stress promotes GTBP-1 association with perinuclear P-bodies in the C. elegans germline", "title_text": "Heat stress promotes GTBP-1 association with perinuclear P-bodies in the C. elegans germline", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:18:02Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/24t8pd709g7en", "venue": "PLOS Genetics", "versions": [] }