title: The genetic makeup of the Drosophila piRNA pathway.
abstract: The piRNA (PIWI-interacting RNA) pathway is a small RNA silencing system that acts in animal gonads and protects the genome against the deleterious influence of transposons. A major bottleneck in the field is the lack of comprehensive knowledge of the factors and molecular processes that constitute this pathway. We conducted an RNAi screen in Drosophila and identified ~50 genes that strongly impact the ovarian somatic piRNA pathway. Many identified genes fall into functional categories that indicate essential roles for mitochondrial metabolism, RNA export, the nuclear pore, transcription elongation, and chromatin regulation in the pathway. Follow-up studies on two factors demonstrate that components acting at distinct hierarchical levels of the pathway were identified. Finally, we define CG2183/Gasz as an essential primary piRNA biogenesis factor in somatic and germline cells. Based on the similarities between insect and vertebrate piRNA pathways, our results have far-reaching implications for the understanding of this conserved genome defense system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr Bohrgasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Dominik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Handler
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meixner
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pizka
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lauss
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmied
authors.forename: Franz Sebastian
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Gruber
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brennecke
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004722:Endoribonucleases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology*; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C583034:GASZ protein, Drosophila; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C583036:panx protein, Drosophila; C484034:armi protein, Drosophila; D004722:Endoribonucleases; C521347:Zuc protein, Drosophila; D020365:RNA Helicases