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Comment
. 2022 Feb;24(2):129-130.
doi: 10.1038/s41556-021-00832-5.

Sperm granules mediate epigenetic inheritance

Laura Thomas  1 , Geraldine Seydoux  2
Affiliations
Comment

Sperm granules mediate epigenetic inheritance

Laura Thomas et al. Nat Cell Biol. 2022 Feb.

Abstract

Epigenetic inheritance is the transfer of non-DNA information across generations. A new study identifies sperm-specific PEI granules as essential for paternal epigenetic inheritance. PEI granule partitioning to sperm requires palmitoylation and myosin VI activity, suggesting lipidation-dependent granule transport on vesicles.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests

G.S. serves on the scientific advisory board for Dewpoint Therapeutics. L.T. declares no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1 |
Fig. 1 |. Membrane-tethered Pei granules partition to spermatids to mediate paternal epigenetic inheritance.
a, PEI-1 recruits the Argonaute WAGO-3 to sperm-specific PEI granules via a putative interaction with the PEI-1 intrinsically disordered region (IDR). b, PEI granules partition to budding spermatids by association with fibrous body-membranous organelles (Fb-MOs). Partitioning is dependent on the myosin VI motor SPE-15. c, PEI-2 tethers PEI granules to membranes via predicted palmitoylation by the palmitoyltransferase SPE-10. Note that the putative PEI-2 residue(s) modified by palmitoylation remain to be defined.
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Comment on

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