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Related Concept Videos

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

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PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
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Nuclear protein sorting regulates nucleus composition and gene expression, crucial for determining the fate of a eukaryotic cell. Hence, the entry and exit of molecules across the nuclear envelope is a tightly controlled process. Nuclear protein sorting can be inhibited by one of the following ways: 1) masking cargo signal sequences, 2) modifying the nuclear receptor's affinity for cargo, 3) controlling the nuclear pore size, 4) retaining the cargo during its transit to the cytosol or the...
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Nucleic acid biosynthesis is a fundamental biochemical process that produces the purine and pyrimidine nucleotides essential for DNA and RNA synthesis. This pathway maintains a balanced nucleotide pool, preventing imbalances that could jeopardize genetic integrity and cellular function. Given the crucial role of nucleotides, their synthesis is tightly regulated to ensure proper cellular homeostasis.Purine BiosynthesisThe biosynthesis of purine nucleotides begins with ribose-5-phosphate, a...
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Updated: Oct 21, 2025

Sequence-specific and Selective Recognition of Double-stranded RNAs over Single-stranded RNAs by Chemically Modified Peptide Nucleic Acids
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Structural basis for piRNA targeting.

Todd A Anzelon1, Saikat Chowdhury1,2, Siobhan M Hughes1

  • 1Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.

Nature
|September 2, 2021
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

PIWI proteins use PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) to silence transposable elements and maintain genome integrity. Unlike microRNAs (miRNAs), piRNAs form weaker initial interactions, ensuring precise targeting and genomic defense.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • PIWI proteins and PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are crucial for silencing transposable elements and maintaining genome integrity across generations.
  • The mechanism of PIWI-piRNA targeting is often compared to Argonaute proteins using microRNAs (miRNAs), but the similarities and differences remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the structural basis of PIWI-piRNA target recognition.
  • To compare the target recognition mechanisms of piRNAs and miRNAs.

Main Methods:

  • Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structure of a PIWI-piRNA complex.
  • Biochemical analysis of PIWI-piRNA-target RNA interactions.

Main Results:

  • PIWI proteins recognize targets via a piRNA seed region, similar to Argonaute proteins.
  • PIWI-piRNA interactions exhibit a weaker seed but require extensive pairing, reducing promiscuity compared to miRNAs.
  • PIWI structures facilitate mismatch-tolerant pairing and require extended duplexes for activity, ensuring targeting fidelity and minimizing off-target effects.

Conclusions:

  • PIWI proteins employ a unique target recognition strategy involving a weak seed and extensive pairing, distinct from miRNA mechanisms.
  • This mechanism allows PIWI to effectively defend against transposable elements while minimizing off-target binding to cellular mRNAs.