[Identification and expression analysis of Macaca mulatta piwil4 gene]

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Molecular genetics
• Primate research

Background:

• PIWIL4 is a member of the PIWI subfamily of Argonaute proteins, crucial in germline development and gene silencing.
• Understanding PIWIL4 in non-human primates like rhesus monkeys provides insights into conserved biological functions relevant to human health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the rhesus monkey PIWIL4 gene and protein.
• To investigate the expression patterns of PIWIL4 mRNA and protein in various tissues and developmental stages of rhesus monkeys.

Main Methods:

• Homologous comparison and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) were used to identify and analyze the rhesus monkey piwil4 gene.
• Bioinformatic analysis was performed to compare rhesus PIWIL4 with human PIWIL4 (HIWI2).
• Immunohistochemistry was employed to determine PIWIL4 protein localization in rhesus monkey testes at different developmental stages.

Main Results:

• Rhesus monkey piwil4 was identified, with its mRNA expressed in heart, brain, colon, epididymis, and testis.
• Bioinformatic analysis revealed 97% amino acid identity between rhesus and human PIWIL4, sharing conserved PAZ and Piwi domains.
• PIWIL4 protein localization differed between infant and adult rhesus monkey testes, being nuclear in infants and cytoplasmic in adults, mirroring adult human testes localization.

Conclusions:

• The rhesus monkey PIWIL4 gene shares significant structural and sequence homology with human PIWIL4 (HIWI2), suggesting conserved functions.
• Dynamic changes in PIWIL4 protein localization during testicular development in rhesus monkeys indicate stage-specific roles in germ cell regulation.