Mislocalization of oskar product in the anterior pole results in ectopic localization of mitochondrial large ribosomal RNA in Drosophila embryos.

Mitochondrial large ribosomal RNA (mtlrRNA) was identified as a cytoplasmic factor that induces pole cells in uv-irradiated embryos and is localized on polar granules in normal embryos at early stages. Here, we report that mtlrRNA is localized in the anterior pole if oskar products are forced to be localized there. This clearly shows, contrary to the previous report by Ding et al. (1994, Developmental Biology 163, 503-515), that localization of mtlrRNA depends on oskar function even at the anterior pole.