The first LOTUS domain on Tudor-containing protein 5 (TDRD5)
The first LOTUS domain on Tudor-containing protein 5 (TDRD5): TDRD5 contains three N-terminal LOTUS domains and a C-terminal Tudor domain. It belongs to the evolutionary conserved Tudor domain-containing protein (TDRD) family involved in germ cell development. In mice, TDRD5 is a component of the intermitochondrial cements (IMCs) and the chromatoid bodies (CBs), which are cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein granules involved in RNA processing for spermatogenesis. The exact molecular function of LOTUS domain on TDRD5 remains to be identified. Its occurrence in proteins associated with RNA metabolism suggests that it might be involved in RNA binding function. The presence of several basic residues and RNA fold recognition motifs support this hypothesis. The RNA binding function might be the first step of regulating mRNA translation or localization.