The PIWI proteins SMEDWI-2 and SMEDWI-3 are required for stem cell function and piRNA expression in planarians.

ABSTRACT: PIWI proteins are expressed in germ cells in a wide variety of metazoans, where they participate in the synthesis and function of a novel class of small RNAs called PIWI associated RNAs (piRNAs). One function of piRNAs is to preserve the integrity of the germline genome by silencing transposons, though they also participate in epigenetic and post-transcriptional gene regulation. In the planarian Schmidtea mediterranea, the PIWI proteins SMEDWI-1 and SMEDWI-2 are expressed in neoblasts and SMEDWI-2 is required for regeneration and homeostasis. Here, we identify a diverse population of approximately 32-nucleotide small RNAs that strongly resemble vertebrate and insect piRNAs and map to hundreds of thousands of loci in the S. mediterranea genome. The expression of these RNAs occurs predominan

SUBMITTER: Palakodeti D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2390803 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature