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The endonuclease activity of Mili fuels piRNA amplification that silences LINE1 elements

Author

Listed:
  • Serena De Fazio

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32)

  • Nenad Bartonicek

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton)

  • Monica Di Giacomo

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32)

  • Cei Abreu-Goodger

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton)

  • Aditya Sankar

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32)

  • Charlotta Funaya

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Meyerhof Str. 1)

  • Claude Antony

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Meyerhof Str. 1)

  • Pedro N. Moreira

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32)

  • Anton J. Enright

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Hinxton)

  • Dónal O’Carroll

    (European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Mouse Biology Unit, Via Ramarini 32)

Abstract

Transposon silencing by Piwi proteins The combination of Piwi proteins and their associated Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) mediates epigenetic transposon silencing in animal germlines. Piwi proteins are predicted to be endonucleases, but the significance of this activity had not been demonstrated in vivo. The laboratories of Dónal O'Carroll and Ramesh Pillai have now made mouse models in which residues expected to be critical for nuclease activity in the three mouse Piwi homologues, Mili, Miwi and Miwi2, are mutated. The mutant mice show phenotypic differences. The Mili and Miwi mutants are defective in piRNA production, transposon silencing and fertility, whereas the Miwi2 mutant has normal piRNA levels, seems to undergo piRNA amplification and silences transposons. These studies highlight distinctions between the murine enzymes responsible for piRNA biogenesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Serena De Fazio & Nenad Bartonicek & Monica Di Giacomo & Cei Abreu-Goodger & Aditya Sankar & Charlotta Funaya & Claude Antony & Pedro N. Moreira & Anton J. Enright & Dónal O’Carroll, 2011. "The endonuclease activity of Mili fuels piRNA amplification that silences LINE1 elements," Nature, Nature, vol. 480(7376), pages 259-263, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:480:y:2011:i:7376:d:10.1038_nature10547
    DOI: 10.1038/nature10547
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    Cited by:

    1. Birgit Stallmeyer & Clara Bühlmann & Rytis Stakaitis & Ann-Kristin Dicke & Farah Ghieh & Luisa Meier & Ansgar Zoch & David MacKenzie MacLeod & Johanna Steingröver & Özlem Okutman & Daniela Fietz & Adr, 2024. "Inherited defects of piRNA biogenesis cause transposon de-repression, impaired spermatogenesis, and human male infertility," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-18, December.

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