title: Loss of l(3)mbt leads to acquisition of the ping-pong cycle in Drosophila ovarian somatic cells.
abstract: In Drosophila germ cells, PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are amplified through a PIWI slicer-dependent feed-forward loop termed the ping-pong cycle, yielding secondary piRNAs. However, the detailed mechanism remains poorly understood, largely because an ex vivo model system amenable to biochemical analyses has not been available. Here, we show that CRISPR-mediated loss of function of lethal (3) malignant brain tumor [l(3)mbt] leads to ectopic activation of the germ-specific ping-pong cycle in ovarian somatic cells. Perinuclear foci resembling nuage, the ping-pong center, appeared following l(3)mbt mutation. This activation of the ping-pong machinery in cultured cells will greatly facilitate elucidation of the mechanism underlying secondary piRNA biogenesis in Drosophila.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan;
authors.forename: Tetsutaro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sumiyoshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan;
authors.forename: Kaoru
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan;
authors.forename: Hitomi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka W
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo 162-8582, Japan.
authors.forename: Haruhiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Siomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0032, Japan;
authors.forename: Mikiko C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Siomi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D009154:Mutation; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C555103:l(3)mbt protein, Drosophila
keywords: CRISPR; Drosophila; PIWI; l(3)mbt; piRNA; ping-pong cycle