Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are essential for silencing of transposable elements in the germline, but their biogenesis is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that MOV10L1, a germ cell-specific putative RNA helicase, is associated with Piwi proteins. Genetic disruption of the MOV10L1 RNA helicase domain in mice renders both MILI and MIWI2 devoid of piRNAs. Absence of a functional piRNA pat...

Piwi-piRNA (Piwi-interacting RNA) ribonucleoproteins (piRNPs) enforce retrotransposon silencing, a function critical for preserving the genome integrity of germ cells. The molecular functions of most of the factors that have been genetically implicated in primary piRNA biogenesis are still elusive. Here we show that MOV10L1 exhibits 5'-to-3' directional RNA-unwinding activity in vitro and that ...

The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is essential for retrotransposon silencing. In piRNA-deficient mice, L1-overexpressing male germ cells exhibit excessive DNA damage and meiotic defects. It remains unknown whether L1 expression simply highlights piRNA deficiency or actually drives the germ-cell demise. Specifically, the sheer abundance of genomic L1 copies prevents reliable quantificatio...

Piwi-interacting RNAs are a diverse class of small non-coding RNAs implicated in the silencing of transposable elements and the safeguarding of genome integrity. In mammals, male germ cells express two genetically and developmentally distinct populations of piRNAs at the pre-pachytene and pachytene stages of meiosis, respectively. Pre-pachytene piRNAs are mostly derived from retrotransposons an...

In this study we have performed genome-wide analysis to identify Nkx2-5 binding regions using mid-gestation mouse hearts to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms by which Nkx2-5 contributes to the correct development of the heart. Nkx2-5 and SRF invivo binding sites were mapped using ChIPchip assays and analysis of the ChIP-chip data has identified 600 and 858 SRF and Nkx2-5-binding sites,...

In this study we have performed genome-wide analysis to identify Nkx2-5 binding regions using mid-gestation mouse hearts to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms by which Nkx2-5 contributes to the correct development of the heart. Nkx2-5 and SRF invivo binding sites were mapped using ChIPchip assays and analysis of the ChIP-chip data has identified 600 and 858 SRF and Nkx2-5-binding sites,...

In this study we have performed genome-wide analysis to identify Nkx2-5 binding regions using mid-gestation mouse hearts to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms by which Nkx2-5 contributes to the correct development of the heart. Nkx2-5 and SRF invivo binding sites were mapped using ChIPchip assays and analysis of the ChIP-chip data has identified 600 and 858 SRF and Nkx2-5-binding sites,...

In this study we have performed genome-wide analysis to identify Nkx2-5 binding regions using mid-gestation mouse hearts to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms by which Nkx2-5 contributes to the correct development of the heart. Nkx2-5 and SRF invivo binding sites were mapped using ChIPchip assays and analysis of the ChIP-chip data has identified 600 and 858 SRF and Nkx2-5-binding sites,...

Background: Thousands of genes are involved in spermatogenesis. Alterations in any of these genes could lead to male infertility. Moloney leukemia virus 10-Like 1 (Mov10l1) gene is one of the genes that are expressed specifically in germ cells. Genetic disruption of this gene in mouse stops spermatogenesis during Meiosis I and causes azoospermia. Materials and Methods: In this study, the geneti...