A comparative roadmap of PIWI-interacting RNAs across seven species reveals insights into de novo piRNA-precursor formation in mammals.

ABSTRACT: PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) play a crucial role in safeguarding genome integrity by silencing mobile genetic elements. From flies to humans, piRNAs originate from long single-stranded precursors encoded by genomic piRNA clusters. How piRNA clusters form to adapt to genomic invaders and evolve to maintain protection remain key outstanding questions. Here, we generate a roadmap of piRNA clusters across seven species that highlights both similarities and variations. In mammals, we identify transcriptional readthrough as a mechanism to generate piRNAs from transposon insertions (piCs) downstream of genes (DoG). Together with the well-known stress-dependent DoG transcripts, our findings suggest a molecular mechanism for the formation of piRNA clusters in response to retroviral invasion. Fina

SUBMITTER: Konstantinidou P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11615739 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature