[Dead-box RNA helicases in animal gametogenesis].

This review analyzes and summarizes a current knowledge about a role of RNA helicases in the development and maintenance of gametogenesis of eukaryotic organisms. Here we focused on three representatives of RNA helicase family containing the characteristic motifs in the amino acid sequence (DEAD-box) and carrying substantial and conservative functions in the germinal tissues of various species from drosophila to human. There are such proteins as Vasa/DDX4, BelIe/DDX3 and Spindle-E/TDRD9. They are involved in a wide range of activities that are associated with the regulation of transcription, splicing, nuclear export, and especially with the initiation of translation. The expression of genes required for the gametogenesis appears to be regulated mainly at the translational level. RNA helicases are involved in the formation of cytoplasmic RNP granules and in the implementation of gene RNA-silencing. "DEAD-box RNA helicases" that carry highly homologous central domain, which determines their basic biochemical activity in the ATP-dependent unwinding of short RNA duplexes, perform the essential and non-overlapping functions in the germinal tissues.