Unravelling piRNA-Guided Gene Regulation in Somatic Tissues

MahammedZaid Patel
MSc
Department of Biochemistry

Date: Aprl 7, 2025
Time: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. 
Room: CSF 1302

Abstract:

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs with a primary role in repressing transposable elements, especially in the animal germline. piRNAs, along with the PIWI-class proteins, namely MILI and MIWI, form piRNA-induced silencing complexes (piRISC) to control retrotransposon expression at the post-transcriptional level. While the regulatory roles of piRNAs in the animal germline are well established, their function in somatic gene regulation remains largely unknown. Therefore, to better understand the functioning of the piRNA pathway in somatic gene silencing, we aim to investigate PIWI-interacting proteins regulating piRISC function in retrotransposon expression. In our study, we are going to employ a multi-faceted approach encompassing co-immunoprecipitation, RNA pulldown assays, Mass Spectrometry and bioinformatic analyses to identify novel interacting partners intrinsic to the MIWI and MILI protein complexes within mouse somatic tissues. Furthermore, we also aim to identify the piRNAs expressed in the tissue with the help of sodium periodate treatment. Notably, Western blot analysis showed that MIWI and MILI are expressed in stomach tissues, highlighting their potential role in somatic gene regulation. We believe that exploring the regulatory mechanisms employed by the candidate PIWI-interacting proteins in the somatic tissues mirror those in the germline, potentially expanding the scope of piRNA-guided post-transcriptional gene silencing. By addressing the composition and the function of these piRNA regulatory complexes in different somatic tissue types, our research is expected to offer valuable insights into the broader implications of piRNA function beyond the germline and advance our current understanding of RNA-based regulatory mechanisms in diverse cellular processes and animal development.