MVH/DDX4/VASA [2F9H5]

MVH or DDX4 or VASA is a 724 amino acid, ATP-dependent RNA helicase that belongs to the DEAD-box family. MVH is specifically expressed in germline cells throughout the life cycle and is undetectable in somatic tissues. In vertebrates, MVH is restricted to bisexually reproducing organisms. It is cytoplasmic and is present only in migratory primordial germ cells in the region of the gonadal ridge. On testicular sections, MVH expression is the highest in spermatogonia, reduced in spermatocytes, low in spermatids and absent in sperm. In the
ovary, MVH expression is the highest in oogonia, but persists throughout oogenesis. MVH has a glycine-rich N-terminus with multiple repeats of an RGG motif believed to function in RNA binding. Specifically, it regulates the translation of intricate mRNAs that are essential for differentiation.