title: Yb integrates piRNA intermediates and processing factors into perinuclear bodies to enhance piRISC assembly.
abstract: PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) direct Piwi to repress transposons and maintain genome integrity in Drosophila ovarian somatic cells. piRNA maturation and association with Piwi occur at perinuclear Yb bodies, the centers of piRNA biogenesis. Here, we show that piRNA intermediates arising from the piRNA cluster flamenco (flam) localize to perinuclear foci adjacent to Yb bodies, termed Flam bodies. RNAi-based screening of piRNA factors revealed that Flam body formation depends on Yb, the core component of Yb bodies, while Piwi and another Yb body component, Armitage, are dispensable for formation. Abolishing the RNA-binding activity of Yb disrupts both Flam bodies and Yb bodies. Yb directly binds flam, but not transcripts from neighboring protein-coding genes. Thus, Yb integrates piRNA intermediates and piRNA processing factors selectively into Flam bodies and Yb bodies, respectively. We suggest that Yb is a key upstream factor in the cytoplasmic phase of the piRNA pathway in ovarian somatic cells.
authors: Institute for Genome Research, University of Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8503, Japan; Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Yukiko
authors: Y
authors: Murota
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan.
authors: Hirotsugu
authors: H
authors: Ishizu
authors: RIKEN, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
authors: Shinichi
authors: S
authors: Nakagawa
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Yuka W
authors: YW
authors: Iwasaki
authors: Department of Biomedical Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Shinsuke
authors: S
authors: Shibata
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Miharu K
authors: MK
authors: Kamatani
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Kuniaki
authors: K
authors: Saito
authors: Department of Biomedical Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Hideyuki
authors: H
authors: Okano
authors: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
authors: Haruhiko
authors: H
authors: Siomi
authors: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan. Electronic address: siomim@bs.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
authors: Mikiko C
authors: MC
authors: Siomi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D020365:RNA Helicases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034743:RNA-Induced Silencing Complex / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D034743:RNA-Induced Silencing Complex; C119416:fs(1)Yb protein, Drosophila; C116498:piwi protein, Drosophila; C484034:armi protein, Drosophila; D020365:RNA Helicases