Conserved piRNA Expression from a Distinct Set of piRNA Cluster Loci in Eutherian Mammals

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005652
• Publication Date: 2015-11-20T14:50:09Z
• Authors: Gung-wei Chirn; Reazur Rahman; Yuliya A. Sytnikova; Jessica A. Matts; Mei Zeng; Daniel Gerlach; Michael Yu; Bonnie Berger; Mayumi Naramura; Benjamin T. Kile; Nelson C. Lau
• Keywords: Piwi-interacting RNA; Conserved sequence

The Piwi pathway is deeply conserved amongst animals because one of its essential functions to repress transposons. However, many Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) do not base-pair transposons and remain mysterious in their targeting function. sheer number piRNA cluster (piC) loci animal genomes infrequent sequence conservation also present challenges determining which piC are most important for development. To address this question, we determined the expression patterns across a wide phylogenetic spectrum animals, reveal that genic intergenic evolve rapidly capacity generate piRNAs, regardless known transposon silencing Surprisingly, uncovered distinct set with Eutherian mammals. We name these Eutherian-Conserved (ECpiC) loci. Supporting hypothesis ~100 million years evolution implies function, ECpiC locus generates abundant piRNAs antisense STOX1 transcript, gene clinically associated preeclampsia. Furthermore, confirmed reduced existing mouse mutations at ECpiC-Asb1 -Cbl, display spermatogenic defects. Asb1 mutant testes strongly exhibit up-regulated profiles. These data indicate may be specially adapted support reproduction.