Primate piRNA Cluster Evolution Suggests Limited Relevance of Pseudogenes in piRNA-Mediated Gene Regulation.

ABSTRACT: PIWI proteins and their guiding Piwi-interacting (pi-) RNAs direct the silencing of target nucleic acids in the animal germline and soma. Although in mammal testes fetal piRNAs are involved in extensive silencing of transposons, pachytene piRNAs have additionally been shown to act in post-transcriptional gene regulation. The bulk of pachytene piRNAs is produced from large genomic loci, named piRNA clusters. Recently, the presence of reversed pseudogenes within piRNA clusters prompted the idea that piRNAs derived from such sequences might direct regulation of their parent genes. Here, we examine primate piRNA clusters and integrated pseudogenes in a comparative approach to gain a deeper understanding about mammalian piRNA cluster evolution and the presumed gene-regulatory role of pseudogene

SUBMITTER: Gebert D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6461890 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature