title: "Dot COM", a nuclear transit center for the primary piRNA pathway in Drosophila.
abstract: The piRNA pathway protects genomes by silencing mobile elements. Despite advances in understanding the processing events that generate piRNAs for silencing, little is known about how primary transcripts are transported from their genomic clusters to their processing centers. Using a model of the Drosophila COM/flamenco locus in ovarian somatic cells, we identified a prominent nuclear structure called Dot COM, which is enriched in long transcripts from piRNA clusters but located far from their transcription sites. Remarkably, transcripts from multiple clusters accumulate at Dot COM, which is often juxtaposed with Yb-bodies, the cytoplasmic processing centers for cluster transcripts. Genetic evidence suggests that the accumulation of precursor transcripts at Dot COM represents one of the most upstream events in the piRNA pathway. Our results provide new insights into the initial steps of the piRNA pathway, and open up a new research area important for a complete understanding of this conserved pathway.
authors.affiliation: Clermont Université, Université d'Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France, Inserm, U 1103, Clermont-Ferrand, France, CNRS, UMR 6293, Clermont-Ferrand, France.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dennis
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Zanni
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brasset
authors.forename: Angeline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eymery
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Rana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mteirek
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Yikang S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Rong
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vaury
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D056426:Genetic Loci; D005810:Multigene Family; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D034443:RNA Transport; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering
references.citation: Genome Res. 2009 Oct;19(10):1776-85
references.pmid: 19541914
references.citation: Mol Cell. 2013 Jun 6;50(5):736-48
references.pmid: 23665228
references.citation: Cytogenet Genome Res. 2005;110(1-4):462-7
references.pmid: 16093699
references.citation: Genetics. 2007 Apr;175(4):1615-24
references.pmid: 17277359
references.citation: Cell. 2007 Mar 23;128(6):1089-103
references.pmid: 17346786
references.citation: PLoS One. 2008 Feb 06;3(2):e1526
references.pmid: 18253480
references.citation: EMBO J. 2010 Oct 6;29(19):3301-17
references.pmid: 20818334
references.citation: Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2011 Apr;12(4):246-58
references.pmid: 21427766
references.citation: Genes Dev. 2010 Nov 15;24(22):2499-504
references.pmid: 20966049
references.citation: J Virol. 2007 Feb;81(4):1951-60
references.pmid: 17135323
references.citation: Genes Dev. 2012 Nov 1;26(21):2361-73
references.pmid: 23124062
references.citation: Cell. 2009 May 1;137(3):522-35
references.pmid: 19395010
references.citation: Genes Dev. 2010 Nov 15;24(22):2493-8
references.pmid: 20966047
references.citation: Genetics. 2003 Jun;164(2):501-9
references.pmid: 12807771
references.citation: EMBO J. 1997 Dec 15;16(24):7521-31
references.pmid: 9405380
references.citation: Nature. 2012 Nov 8;491(7423):284-7
references.pmid: 23064230
references.citation: Nature. 2006 Jul 13;442(7099):203-7
references.pmid: 16751777
references.citation: J Cell Biol. 2009 May 18;185(4):613-27
references.pmid: 19433453
references.citation: Cell. 2012 Nov 9;151(4):871-884
references.pmid: 23141543
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2011 Feb 4;286(5):3789-97
references.pmid: 21106531
references.citation: Nature. 2006 Jul 13;442(7099):199-202
references.pmid: 16751776
references.citation: Mol Cell. 2013 Jun 6;50(5):762-77
references.pmid: 23665231
references.citation: Nature. 2012 Nov 8;491(7423):279-83
references.pmid: 23064227