Post-translational regulation by gustavus contributes to selective Vasa protein accumulation in multipotent cells during embryogenesis

► Post-translational gustavus regulation contributes to Vasa enrichment in multipotent cells. ► Vasa coding region is necessary and sufficient for selective accumulation in small micromeres. ► Gustavus, a B30.2/SPRY and SOCS box domain gene, contributes to this phenomenon. ► Gustavus has a conserved, positive regulatory role in Vasa accumulation during embryogenesis.