Figure 6. dKDM5 is required for meiotic completion and female fertility.

(A) dKDM5 is required for correct meiosis. Polar body morphology was used as read-out for successful meiotic completion. Under normal conditions, polar body chromosomes are arranged in a characteristic rosette conformation (a). dKDM5 knockdown resulted in significant deviations to this conformation, with scattered chromatin (arrowhead) and defects in chromosome condensation (b,c). The perimeter of polar body chromatin (in μm) was measured for phenotypic quantification. Horizontal lines specify mean values and asterisks indicate significant difference (Mann–Whitney U-test; P=0.0031). (B) dKDM5-depleted eggs largely fail to initiate mitotic divisions after fertilization (d–e′). The chromatin of such embryos was scattered (arrowhead in chromatin inset e′) and disorganized despite normal gamete size and dorsal–ventral patterning (Supplementary Fig. 11). Error bars represent s.d. and asterisks indicate significant difference (Student's t-test; P<0.0001). (C) Germ line-specific depletion of dKDM5 significantly impairs Drosophila fertility. Fertility rate is defined by the frequency of egg hatching 48 h post oviposition. Error bars represent s.d. and asterisks indicate significant difference (Student's t-test; P<0.0001). (A–C) Scale bars in a–c, 2 μm; in d and e, 30 μm and in e′, 10 μm.