Plays a key role in the sexual differentiation of germ cells by promoting the male fate but suppressing the female fate. Represses the female fate pathways by suppressing meiosis, which in turn results in the promotion of the male fate. Maintains the suppression of meiosis by preventing STRA8 expression, which is required for premeiotic DNA replication, after CYP26B1 is decreased. Regulates the localization of the CCR4-NOT deadenylation complex to P-bodies and plays a role in recruiting the complex to trigger the degradation of mRNAs involved in meiosis. Required for the maintenance of the spermatogonial stem cell population. Not essential for the assembly of P-bodies but is required for the maintenance of their normal state (By similarity). . This is the function of NANOS2 (nanos C2HC-type zinc finger 2, ENSG00000188425).