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Review
. 2023 Feb;24(2):123-141.
doi: 10.1038/s41580-022-00528-0. Epub 2022 Sep 14.

Emerging roles and functional mechanisms of PIWI-interacting RNAs

Xin Wang #  1   2 , Anne Ramat #  3 , Martine Simonelig  4 , Mo-Fang Liu  5   6   7
Affiliations
Review

Emerging roles and functional mechanisms of PIWI-interacting RNAs

Xin Wang et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2023 Feb.

Erratum in

Abstract

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that associate with proteins of the PIWI clade of the Argonaute family. First identified in animal germ line cells, piRNAs have essential roles in germ line development. The first function of PIWI-piRNA complexes to be described was the silencing of transposable elements, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the germ line genome. Later studies provided new insights into the functions of PIWI-piRNA complexes by demonstrating that they regulate protein-coding genes. Recent studies of piRNA biology, including in new model organisms such as golden hamsters, have deepened our understanding of both piRNA biogenesis and piRNA function. In this Review, we discuss the most recent advances in our understanding of piRNA biogenesis, the molecular mechanisms of piRNA function and the emerging roles of piRNAs in germ line development mainly in flies and mice, and in infertility, cancer and neurological diseases in humans.

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References

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