PIWI proteins and piRNAs regulate genes in the germline and beyond

(Science China Press) PIWI proteins associate with PIWI-interacting RNAs, which are a class of 24-32 nucleotide small non-coding RNAs. Current studies show that PIWI proteins and their interactors regulate piRNA biogenesis and diverse biological processes including transposon silencing, epigenetic programming, DNA rearrangements, mRNA turnover, and translational control, both in the germline and the soma. These discoveries on the PIWI-piRNA pathway have revealed an intriguing new dimension of sncRNA-mediated gene regulation in the cell.

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2014-07/scp-ppa071714.php

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - July 17, 2014 Category: Biology Source Type: news