piRNAs have been identified in both vertebrates and invertebrates, and although biogenesis and modes of action do vary somewhat between species, a number of features … See more

In the early 1980s, it was discovered that a single mutation in the fruit fly genome could specifically activate all copies of a retrovirus-like element See more

The biogenesis of piRNAs is not yet fully understood, although possible mechanisms have been proposed. piRNAs show a significant … See more

Genetic screens examining fertility defects identified a number of proteins that are not Piwi-clade Argonautes, yet produce the same sterility … See more

There are at least three Argonaute (Ago) subfamilies that have been found in eukaryotes. Unlike the Ago subfamily which is present in … See more

The wide variation in piRNA sequences and piwi function across species contributes to the difficulty in establishing the functionality of … See more

Major advances in the study of piRNA have been achieved thanks to the use of next-generation sequencing techniques, such as Solexa, 454, and Illumina platform sequencing. These techniques allow analysis of highly complex and heterogeneous … See more