Required during oogenesis for the formation of primordial germ cells and for normal abdominal segmentation. Interacts with vls (PubMed:15800004). Interacts with me31B (when dimethylated on Arg residues) (PubMed:28945271). Detected in the germ plasm of occytes and in the nuage of nurse cells. Expressed throughout the life cycle. The TUD mRNA accumulates within the posterior region of the developing oocyte during the early to middle stages of oogenesis.