PiRNAs initiate an epigenetic memory of non-self RNA in the C. elegans germline.

ABSTRACT: Organisms exhibit a fascinating array of gene-silencing pathways, which have evolved in part, to confront invasive nucleic acids such as transposons and viruses. A key question raised by the existence of these pathways is how do they distinguish M-bM-^@M-^\selfM-bM-^@M-^] from M-bM-^@M-^\non-selfM-bM-^@M-^] nucleic acids? Evidence exists for a number of mechanisms that might facilitate detection of foreign sequences including mechanisms that sense copy-number, unpaired DNA, or aberrant RNA (e.g.dsRNA). Here we describe an RNA-induced epigenetic silencing pathway, RNAe, that permanently silences single-copy transgenes. We show that the Piwi Argonaute PRG-1 and its genomically encoded piRNA cofactors initiate RNAe, while maintenance depends on chromatin factors and the WAGO Argonaute pathwa

ORGANISM(S): Caenorhabditis elegans

SUBMITTER: Weifeng Gu 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-38724 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress