MVH in piRNA processing and gene silencing of retrotransposons.
VASA is an evolutionarily conserved RNA helicase essential for germ cell development. The mouse PIWI family proteins MILI and MIWI2 are involved in production of Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in fetal male germ cells through a ping-pong amplification cycle. Expression of retrotransposons is elevated in MILI- and MIWI2-deficient male germ cells due to defective de novo DNA methylation, which is presumably caused by impaired piRNA expression. Here, we report that essentially the same abnormalities are observed in MVH (mouse VASA homolog)-deficient mice. Comprehensive analysis of piRNAs in MVH-deficient fetal male germ cells showed that MVH plays crucial roles in the early phase of the ping-pong amplification cycle.
Kuramochi-Miyagawa
Satomi
S
Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Watanabe
Toshiaki
T
Gotoh
Kengo
K
Takamatsu
Kana
K
Chuma
Shinichiro
S
Kojima-Kita
Kanako
K
Shiromoto
Yusuke
Y
Asada
Noriko
N
Toyoda
Atsushi
A
Fujiyama
Asao
A
Totoki
Yasushi
Y
Shibata
Tatsuhiro
T
Kimura
Tohru
T
Nakatsuji
Norio
N
Noce
Toshiaki
T
Sasaki
Hiroyuki
H
Nakano
Toru
T
D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D007426:Genes, Intracisternal A-Particle / Q000235:genetics*; D020084:Long Interspersed Nucleotide Elements / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D021381:Protein Transport; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013091:Spermatogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; C448522:Piwil1 protein, mouse; C448521:Piwil2 protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C090864:Ddx4 protein, mouse; D053487:DEAD-box RNA Helicases