Spatiotemporal control of PIWI compartmentalization by mitochondrial scaffolds defines pachytene piRNA pathway organization - PubMed
2 hours ago
- #mitochondrial scaffolds
- #pachytene piRNA
- #PIWI proteins
- Pachytene piRNAs are the least understood class in mammalian male germ line meiosis.
- Their biogenesis occurs near mitochondrial outer membrane in intermitochondrial cement (IMC) granules.
- The study shows cytoplasmic PIWI proteins MILI and MIWI are recruited via distinct mitochondrial membrane proteins.
- Loss of mitochondrial scaffold protein ASZ1 disrupts biogenesis steps, causing IMC formation failure and near-total loss of mature pachytene piRNAs.
- Despite pachytene piRNA depletion, LINE1 transposon silencing remains unaffected.
- Three classes of pachytene piRNA components coordinate production and compartmentalization.
- Chromatoid body precursors serve as a central hub for accumulating PIWI-piRNA complexes, linking IMC-based biogenesis to downstream function.