The 3' termini of mouse Piwi-interacting RNAs are 2'-O-methylated.
Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a germline-specific class of small noncoding RNAs that are essential for spermatogenesis, but their function and biogenesis remain elusive. Here we report a post-transcriptional modification of mouse piRNAs. Mass spectrometric analysis reveals that the piRNAs tested are fully modified by 2'-O-methylation at their 3' termini. This observation may provide a clue to the biogenesis and function of piRNAs in spermatogenesis.
Ohara
Tomoya
T
Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Sakaguchi
Yuriko
Y
Suzuki
Takeo
T
Ueda
Hiroki
H
Miyauchi
Kenjyo
K
Suzuki
Tsutomu
T
D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; C448522:Piwil1 protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA