piRNAs: from biogenesis to function
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Publication Date
2014-09Journal Title
Development
ISSN
0950-1991
Publisher
The Company of Biologists
Volume
141
Pages
3458-3471
Language
English
Type
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Weick, E., & Miska, E. (2014). piRNAs: from biogenesis to function. Development, 141 3458-3471. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.094037
Abstract
Distinguishing self from non-self plays a crucial role in safeguarding the germlines of metazoa from mobile DNA elements. Since their discovery less than a decade ago, Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) have been shown to repress transposable elements in the germline and, hence, have been at the forefront of research aimed at understanding the mechanisms that maintain germline integrity. More recently, roles for piRNAs in in gene regulation have emerged. In this Review, we highlight recent advances made in understanding piRNA function, highlighting the divergent nature of piRNA biogenesis in different organisms, and discussing the mechanisms of piRNA action during transcriptional regulation and in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.
Sponsorship
This work was supported by an ERC starting grant to E.A.M.
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.094037
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/245646
Rights
Attribution 2.0 UK: England & Wales, Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0 UK
Licence URL: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/uk/