2l5c

Structural highlights

Function

PIWL1_HUMAN Plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and prevent their mobilization, which is essential for the germline integrity. Acts via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and govern the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons. Directly binds methylated piRNAs, a class of 24 to 30 nucleotide RNAs that are generated by a Dicer-independent mechanism and are primarily derived from transposons and other repeated sequence elements. Besides their function in transposable elements repression, piRNAs are probably involved in other processes during meiosis such as translation regulation. Probable component of some RISC complex, which mediates RNA cleavage and translational silencing. Also plays a role in the formation of chromatoid bodies and is required for some miRNAs stability (By similarity). Isoform 3 may be a negative developmental regulator.^{[1] [2] [3]}

References

1. ↑ Qiao D, Zeeman AM, Deng W, Looijenga LH, Lin H. Molecular characterization of hiwi, a human member of the piwi gene family whose overexpression is correlated to seminomas. Oncogene. 2002 Jun 6;21(25):3988-99. PMID:12037681 doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1205505
2. ↑ Tahbaz N, Kolb FA, Zhang H, Jaronczyk K, Filipowicz W, Hobman TC. Characterization of the interactions between mammalian PAZ PIWI domain proteins and Dicer. EMBO Rep. 2004 Feb;5(2):189-94. Epub 2004 Jan 16. PMID:14749716 doi:10.1038/sj.embor.7400070
3. ↑ Liu X, Sun Y, Guo J, Ma H, Li J, Dong B, Jin G, Zhang J, Wu J, Meng L, Shou C. Expression of hiwi gene in human gastric cancer was associated with proliferation of cancer cells. Int J Cancer. 2006 Apr 15;118(8):1922-9. PMID:16287078 doi:10.1002/ijc.21575