The Z-granule scaffold LOTR-1 bridges piRNA recognition to small-RNA amplification in C. elegans

To dissect how LOTR-1 and its individual domains shape gene expression and translation, we performed paired total-lysate and polysome-associated mRNA sequencing across three domain-specific alleles: a full in-frame deletion (delta-LOTR-1), a LOTUS-domain deletion (delta-LOTUS), and a Tudor-domain deletion (delta-Tudor), each compared to a wildtype control.

Differential expression analysis reveals widespread transcriptomic remodeling in all three alleles, strongest in the LOTUS-domain deletion, that is extensively offset by genome-wide translational buffering, including a coordinated downregulation of ribosomal protein mRNAs. The MiDAC scaffold saeg-2 is robustly derepressed across all alleles. These paired lysate and polysome datasets provide a read-out of both transcript abundance and translational engagement in lotr-1 domain mutants.