Transposable Element Targeting by piRNAs in Laurasiatherians with Distinct Transposable Element Histories.

ABSTRACT: PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are part of a cellular pathway that has evolved to protect genomes against the proliferation of transposable elements (TEs). PIWIs and piRNAs assemble into complexes that are involved in epigenetic and post-transcriptional repression of TEs. Most of our understanding of the mechanisms of piRNA-mediated TE silencing comes from fruit fly and mouse models. However, even in these well-studied animals it is unclear how piRNA responses relate to variable TE expression and whether the strength of the piRNA response affects TE content over time. Here, we assessed the evolutionary interactions between TE and piRNAs in a statistical framework using three nonmodel laurasiatherian mammals as a study system: dog, horse, and a vesper bat. These three spec

SUBMITTER: Vandewege MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4898795 | biostudies-literature | 2016 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature