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Zili is required for germ cell differentiation and meiosis in zebrafish
Author(s) -
Houwing Saskia,
Berezikov Eugene,
Ketting René F
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the embo journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 7.484
H-Index - 392
eISSN - 1460-2075
pISSN - 0261-4189
DOI - 10.1038/emboj.2008.204
Subject(s) - piwi interacting rna , biology , transposable element , rasirna , zebrafish , germline , genetics , rna interference , germ cell , meiosis , argonaute , microbiology and biotechnology , function (biology) , rna , gene , genome
Small RNAs exert an effect through diverse RNA interference pathways to transcriptionally or post‐transcriptionally silence their targets. The Piwi‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) represent a germline‐specific small RNA pathway where Piwi proteins themselves are thought to mediate piRNA biosynthesis. Here, we provide strong evidence for a piRNA amplification loop in zebrafish, in which Ziwi and Zili bind piRNAs of opposite polarity. Furthermore, we describe a function for Zili in transposon defense and germ cell differentiation, as well as a crucial function in meiosis, significantly extending the function of Piwi proteins beyond the control of transposable elements in vertebrates.