SRNA profiling during Oxytricha conjugation

ABSTRACT: In Oxytricha, the somatic genome is responsible for vegetative growth, while the germline contributes DNA to the next sexual generation. Somatic nuclear development eliminates all transposons and other so-called "junk DNA", which constitute ~95% of the germline. We demonstrate that Piwi-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) from the maternal nucleus can specify genomic regions for retention in this process. Oxytricha piRNAs map primarily to the somatic genome, representing the ~5% of the germline that is retained. Furthermore, injection of synthetic piRNAs corresponding to normally-deleted regions leads to their retention in subsequent generations. Our findings highlight small RNAs (sRNAs) as powerful transgenerational carriers of epigenetic information for genome programming. The b

ORGANISM(S): Oxytricha trifallax

SUBMITTER: Wenwen Fang 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-40081 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress