A tudor domain protein, SIMR-1, promotes siRNA production at piRNA-targeted mRNAs in <i>C. elegans</i>.
basic_science · Level V
Where this comes from
- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 32338603.
- Also identified by DOI 10.7554/eLife.56731 and PMC identifier 7255803.
- Licence recorded as CC BY.
- The licence permits redistribution, so the abstract is shown in full and the full text is available from the publisher.
Abstract
piRNAs play a critical role in the regulation of transposons and other germline genes. In <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i>, regulation of piRNA target genes is mediated by the <i>mutator</i> complex, which synthesizes high levels of siRNAs through the activity of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. However, the steps between mRNA recognition by the piRNA pathway and siRNA amplification by the <i>mutator</i> complex are unknown. Here, we identify the Tudor domain protein, SIMR-1, as acting downstream of piRNA production and upstream of <i>mutator</i> complex-dependent siRNA biogenesis. Interestingly, SIMR-1 also localizes to distinct subcellular foci adjacent to P granules and <i>Mutator</i> foci, two phase-separated condensates that are the sites of piRNA-dependent mRNA recognition and <i>mutator</i> complex-dependent siRNA amplification, respectively. Thus, our data suggests a role for multiple perinuclear condensates in organizing the piRNA pathway and promoting mRNA regulation by the <i>mutator</i> complex.
Medical subject headings
- Caenorhabditis elegans
- Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins
- RNA, Messenger
- RNA, Small Interfering
- Tudor Domain