Computational analysis of mouse piRNA sequence and biogenesis Journal Article
| Authors: | Betel, D.; Sheridan, R.; Marks, D. S.; Sander, C. |
| Article Title: | Computational analysis of mouse piRNA sequence and biogenesis |
| Abstract: | The recent discovery of a new class of 30-nucleotide long RNAs in mammalian testes, called PIWI-interacting RNA ( piRNA), with similarities to microRNAs and repeat-associated small interfering RNAs ( rasiRNAs), has raised puzzling questions regarding their biogenesis and function. We report a comparative analysis of currently available piRNA sequence data from the pachytene stage of mouse spermatogenesis that sheds light on their sequence diversity and mechanism of biogenesis. We conclude that ( i) there are at least four times as many piRNAs in mouse testes than currently known; ( ii) piRNAs, which originate from long precursor transcripts, are generated by quasi-random enzymatic processing that is guided by a weak sequence signature at the piRNA 5' ends resulting in a large number of distinct sequences; and ( iii) many of the piRNA clusters contain inverted repeats segments capable of forming double-strand RNA fold-back segments that may initiate piRNA processing analogous to transposon silencing. |
| Keywords: | drosophila; genome; spermatogenesis; piwi-interacting rnas; 3' termini; testes; germ-line; body; cell maintenance; argonaute family; chromatoid |
| Journal Title: | PLoS Computational Biology |
| Volume: | 3 |
| Issue: | 11 |
| ISSN: | 1553-7358 |
| Publisher: | Public Library of Science |
| Date Published: | 2007-11-01 |
| Start Page: | 2219 |
| End Page: | 2227 |
| Language: | English |
| ACCESSION: | WOS:000251310000016 |
| DOI: | 10.1371/journal.pcbi.0030222 |
| PROVIDER: | wos |
| PMCID: | PMC2065894 |
| PUBMED: | 17997596 |
| Notes: | --- - Article - e222 - "Source: Wos" |
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