Editorial Material
Immunology
Stefan Bittner, Frauke Zipp
Summary: IL-17-blocking antibodies have limited clinical effect in certain autoimmune diseases. This study demonstrates that SHP2-Act1 complexes can mediate IL-17R signaling autonomously, even in the absence of the IL-17 ligand itself.
Article
Cell Biology
Cheng Shi, Coleen T. Murphy
Summary: This study identifies a new germline-to-soma aging signal tuned by mating in Caenorhabditiselegans. Germline piRNAs influence longevity and somatic maintenance by transcriptionally regulating germline-to-soma Hedgehog signaling. Mating-induced germline hyperactivity downregulates piRNAs, causing somatic collapse and death through the desilencing of Hedgehog signaling.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jiangbo Liu, Min Li, Fan Li, Zhilei Ge, Qian Li, Mengmeng Liu, Jiye Shi, Lihua Wang, Xiaolei Zuo, Chunhai Fan, Xiuhai Mao
Summary: Researches developed a method based on DNA origami nanostructures to reconstruct soma-soma synapse-like junctions, demonstrating the maintenance of intercellular communication. This strategy provides a versatile platform for studying synaptic communications.
ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Cybernetics
Anna Stahl, Vasiliki Tsaknaki, Madeline Balaam
Summary: This article discusses the design processes of two ongoing soma design projects - the Pelvic Chair and the Breathing Wings, which take a first-person, soma design approach. Through a reflective account of the soma design processes, the authors show how using their own somas stimulate the design process, prototype through it, and critique emerging designs, all grounded in new materialism. The designs are seen as performative intra-actions allowing for various somas to be intra-acted through the designs.
ACM TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTER-HUMAN INTERACTION
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yao Xiao, TingYu M. Liu, Ian J. MacRae
Summary: Argonaute (AGO) proteins use microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) to regulate gene expression. The functional distinction between AGOs in plants and animals depends on a minor structural difference in the PIWI domain. Swapping a 9-amino acid loop in the PIWI domain can alter the targeting properties and silencing efficiency of AGO proteins.
Editorial Material
Cell Biology
Yongjuan Guan, P. Jeremy Wang
Summary: Mice deficient in the piRNA pathway are sterile only in males, but three studies have shown that the piRNA pathway is essential for fertility in both male and female hamsters, strongly linking this small RNA pathway to fertility regulation in men and women.
NATURE CELL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Xin Wang, Di-Hang Lin, Yue Yan, An-Hui Wang, Jiaoyang Liao, Qian Meng, Wen-Qing Yang, Heng Zuo, Min-Min Hua, Fengjuan Zhang, Hongwen Zhu, Hu Zhou, Tian-Yu Huang, Rui He, Guangyong Li, Yue-Qiu Tan, Hui-Juan Shi, Lan-Tao Gou, Dangsheng Li, Ligang Wu, Yonggang Zheng, Xiang-Dong Fu, Jinsong Li, Rujuan Liu, Guo-Hui Li, Mo-Fang Liu
Summary: PIWI-clade proteins utilize piRNAs of 24-33 nt in length. This study reveals that a unique PIWI-Ins module helps determine the length of piRNAs. Deletion of PIWI-Ins in Miwi leads to the incorporation of shorter piRNAs and causes spermiogenic failure in mice, highlighting the importance of this regulatory module. Moreover, a genetic mutation in human HIWI (PIWIL1) is found to impair male fertility by altering the property of PIWI-Ins in selecting longer piRNAs.
SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Artem A. Ilyin, Anastasia D. Stolyarenko, Nikolay Zenkin, Mikhail S. Klenov
Summary: The Piwi-piRNA pathway in Drosophila ovaries plays a key role in transcriptional silencing of transposable elements (TEs). Knockdown of Piwi and HP1a led to derepression of partially overlapping TE sets, with some TEs silenced predominantly by HP1a and others more upregulated upon Piwi knockdown. Piwi and HP1a cooperatively exert repressive effects on the transcription of euchromatic loci flanking the insertions of some Piwi-regulated TEs, preventing inappropriate expression of tissue-specific genes in ovaries.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Astrid D. Haase
Summary: PIWI proteins and piRNAs form an adaptive immune system that protects genome integrity by restricting the activity of mobile genetic elements. piRNAs can discriminate between self and nonself and adapt to novel genomic invaders. They originate from single-stranded RNA and require a unique set of processing factors.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jun-Song Ren, Wen Bai, Jing-Juan Ding, Ya Zhao, Su-Yu Wang, Xi Chen, Qin Jiang
Summary: In this study, it was found that PIWIL4 is upregulated in a laser-induced CNV model and regulates angiogenesis. Differentially expressed piRNAs in the CNV model were shown to potentially regulate angiogenesis through bioinformatics analysis. Overall, PIWIL4 may serve as a novel target for blocking pathological choroidal neovascularization, and the study of the PIWI-piRNAs pathway in wAMD highlights its broad function in somatic cells.
Review
Respiratory System
Yizhu Yao, Yaozhe Li, Xiayan Zhu, Chengguang Zhao, Lehe Yang, Xiaoying Huang, Liangxing Wang
Summary: PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) is a recently discovered class of small non-coding RNA molecules that interact with PIWI proteins to form the piRNA/PIWI complex. They have been found not only in the mammalian germline, but also expressed in a tissue-specific manner in various human tissues and implicated in diseases such as cardiovascular, neurological, and urinary tract diseases, particularly in malignant tumors. However, the functions, abnormal expression, and underlying mechanisms of piRNAs in respiratory tract diseases are not fully understood. This review summarizes current studies on the biogenesis, functions, and emerging roles of piRNAs in respiratory tract diseases, providing a reference for future piRNA research.
RESPIRATORY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism
Marisol Alonso-Vazquez, Elaine Chiao Ling Yang, Maria del Mar Pages Vidal, Catheryn Khoo
Summary: This article aims to explore the differences in motivations, destination preferences, and inhibiting factors for solo female travelers across different generations during the COVID-19 pandemic. By using the push-pull framework theory, a survey was conducted and 1576 responses from experienced solo female travelers were analyzed, revealing the distinctive travel needs of different generations.
CURRENT ISSUES IN TOURISM
(2023)
Review
Genetics & Heredity
Colin C. Conine, Oliver J. Rando
Summary: Recent studies have shown the intergenerational and transgenerational effects of environmental conditions, challenging the traditional distinction between germline and somatic cells proposed by August Weissman. The review focuses on the role of small RNAs in intercellular RNA trafficking and how it shapes the germline epigenome across species.
NATURE REVIEWS GENETICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wentao Zhang, Zongtai Zheng, Keyi Wang, Weipu Mao, Xue Li, Guangchun Wang, Yuanyuan Zhang, Jianhua Huang, Ning Zhang, Pengfei Wu, Ji Liu, Haimin Zhang, Jianping Che, Bo Peng, Junhua Zheng, Wei Li, Xudong Yao
Summary: This study found that piR-1742 is highly expressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and its high expression is associated with poor prognosis. Inhibition of piR-1742 significantly reduces tumor growth in RCC models. Mechanistically, piRNA-1742 regulates the stability of USP8 mRNA by binding directly to hnRNPU, inhibits the ubiquitination of MUC12, and promotes the development of malignant RCC. Furthermore, nano therapeutic systems loaded with piR-1742 inhibitors effectively inhibit the metastasis and growth of RCC in vivo.
EXPERIMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huimin Wang, Feng Jiang, Xiang Liu, Qing Liu, Yunyun Fu, Ran Li, Li Hou, Jie Zhang, Jing He, Le Kang
Summary: This study identifies a novel function of Piwi and piRNAs in regulating food intake in locusts. Knockdown of Piwi1 expression leads to reduced food consumption and body weight, potentially through decreased expression of neuropeptide NPF1. Mechanistically, intronic piRNAs may enhance RNA splicing of NPF1 by preventing hairpin formation at the branch point sites. This discovery reveals a novel nuclear PIWI/piRNA-mediated mechanism that controls food intake in the locust nervous system.
