title: Beyond transposons: the epigenetic and somatic functions of the Piwi-piRNA mechanism.
abstract: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) were reported in 2006 as a novel class of small non-coding RNAs associated with Piwi proteins of the Argonaute/Piwi family. Recent studies have revealed not only the biogenesis of piRNAs and their roles in transposon silencing, but also the function of the Piwi-piRNA pathway in epigenetic and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. In addition, the function of this pathway in somatic cells has also been more systematically characterized. The new findings reveal the Piwi-piRNA pathway as a more general mechanism of gene regulation.
authors: Yale Stem Cell Center and Department of Cell Biology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06509, United States.
authors: Jamy C
authors: JC
authors: Peng
authors: Haifan
authors: H
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006657:Histones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D006657:Histones; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C116498:piwi protein, Drosophila