glp-1 encodes a transmembrane receptor required for germline stem cell maintenance. Using a genetic approach to identify other proteins involved in germline stem cell maintenance, we previously recovered EMS- and UV-induced mutations that enhance the mild germline proliferation defect of a weak, temperature-sensitive
glp-1 allele,
glp-1(
bn18) (Qiao, et al. 1995). Many ego (enhancer of glp-one) genes have been characterized molecularly and shown to encode a variety of factors important for germline development. Mutations recovered in the ego screen include alleles of the GLP-1 signaling pathway component,
lag-1, a Bro-domain protein implicated in endosomal trafficking (
ego-2), and components of the small RNA network (
ego-1,
ekl-1,
drh-3) (Qiao, et al. 1995; Smardon, et al. 2000; Liu and Maine 2007; She, et al. 2009). Moreover, mutations in a number of other germline regulators enhance
glp-1, including the translational regulator
atx-2 and the cell cycle regulators
cye-1 and
cdk-2 (Maine, et al. 2004; Fox, et al. 2012). We are now undertaking a molecular analysis of additional ego mutations recovered in our UV/TMP screen for recessive enhancers of the
glp-1(
bn18) germline proliferation defect. We are focusing on one ego mutation,
om92, that in a
glp-1(+) background has substantially reduced germline proliferation and that is sterile. We will present preliminary phenotypic characterization and genetic mapping results for
om92, a new enhancer of
glp-1. .