piRNA对生殖系统调控作用的研究进展

Research progress on the regulation of piRNA on reproductive system

随着小RNA研究的不断深入,科学家们发现了新型内源性小RNA——piRNA,与生殖细胞发育密切相关。piRNA是大约为32 nt长度的非编码小RNA,主要分布于哺乳动物卵巢卵母细胞和睾丸精原细胞中,在果蝇的卵巢卵泡(性腺体细胞)中也存在少量的piRNA。piRNA的生成及生物功能的发挥均依赖Argonaute家族Piwi蛋白,piRNA与Piwi亚家族蛋白特异性相结合并相互作用。研究发现,在体细胞和生殖细胞中piRNA的生成途径不同。piRNA主要在生殖干细胞分化、胚胎发育、DNA完整性的保持、表观遗传调控和性别决定等方面发挥作用。文章简单综述了piRNA在哺乳动物生殖系统发育过程中的调控机制。

With the development of small RNA research, the scientists have discovered a new endogenous small RNA - piRNA. It is closely related to the development of germ cells, piRNA is an approximately 32 nt non - coding small RNA, mainly distributed in mammalian testes sper- matogonial cells and ovarian oocytes. There are also a small amount of piRNAs in Drosophila ovarian somatic ceils （follicle cells）. The produc- tion of piRNA and its biological function depend on the piwi protein of Argonaute family, piRNA can bind to and interact with Piwi subfamily proteins. It was found that the piRNA production pathway was different in somatic and germ ceils, piRNA plays a major role in the differentiation of germline stem cell, embryonic development, maintenance of DNA integrity, epigenetic regulation and gender determination. The regulation mechanism of piRNA in the development of mammalian reproductive system was reviewed in this paper.