Novel role of specific Tudor domains in Tudor–Aubergine protein complex assembly and distribution during Drosophila oogenesis

► Identification of novel Piwi protein Aubergine–Tudor domain interactions. ► Tudor domain controls localization of Tudor protein to nuage. ► First evidence for involvement of multiple Tudor domains in Aubergine recognition. ► Small amounts of localized Tudor are sufficient for normal Aubergine distribution. Germ cells give rise to the next generation and contain ribonucleoprotein particles, germ granules. In these granules, Piwi protein Aubergine has been shown to interact with Tudor protein in Drosophila. Tudor protein has 11 Tudor domains and it has been unclear to what extent all these domains are involved in the interaction with Aubergine. Here we present direct biochemical evidence that Tudor–Aubergine interaction surface is composed of different Tudor domains including those that have not been previously implicated in Aubergine recognition. Furthermore, we show that specific single Tudor domains determine localization of Tudor complex to different sites in ovarian germ cells. Our data suggest that multiple Tudor domains of germline proteins from various species are redundantly used for interaction with the same protein partner during germline development.