Euchromatic transposon insertions trigger production of novel pi- and endo-siRNAs at the target sites in the Drosophila germline

ABSTRACT: The control of transposable element (TE) activity in germ cells provides genome integrity over generations. A distinct small RNA-mediated pathway utilizing Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) suppresses TE expression in gonads of metazoans. In the fly, primary piRNAs derive from so-called piRNA clusters, which are enriched in damaged repeated sequences. These piRNAs launch a cycle of TE and piRNA cluster transcript cleavages resulting in the amplification of piRNA and TE silencing. Using genome-wide comparison of TE insertions and ovarian small RNA libraries from two Drosophila strains, we found that individual TEs inserted into euchromatic loci form novel dual-stranded piRNA clusters. Formation of the piRNA-generating loci by active individual TEs provides a more potent silencing response to t

ORGANISM(S): Drosophila melanogaster

SUBMITTER: Sergei Ryazansky 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-46105 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress