A MILI-independent piRNA biogenesis pathway empowers partial germline reprogramming
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Updated: Mar 2, 2026

RNA-based Reprogramming of Human Primary Fibroblasts into Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: November 26, 2018
Lina Vasiliauskaitė1,2, Dimitrios Vitsios3, Rebecca V Berrens4
1European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Monterotondo, Italy.
Abstract:
In mice, the pathway involving PIWI and PIWI-interacting RNA (PIWI-piRNA) is essential to re-establish transposon silencing during male-germline reprogramming. The cytoplasmic PIWI protein MILI mediates piRNA-guided transposon RNA cleavage as well as piRNA amplification. MIWI2's binding to piRNA and its nuclear localization are proposed to be dependent upon MILI function. Here, we demonstrate the existence of a piRNA biogenesis pathway that sustains partial MIWI2 function and reprogramming activity in the absence of MILI.
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