Arginine methylation of Piwi proteins catalysed by dPRMT5 is required for Ago3 and Aub stability.
Publication/Presentation Date
5-1-2009
Abstract
Piwi family proteins are essential for germline development and bind piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs). The grandchildless gene aub of Drosophila melanogaster encodes the piRNA-binding protein Aubergine (Aub), which is essential for formation of primordial germ cells (PGCs). Here we report that Piwi family proteins of mouse, Xenopus laevis and Drosophila contain symmetrical dimethylarginines (sDMAs). We found that Piwi proteins are expressed in Xenopus oocytes and we identified numerous Xenopus piRNAs. We report that the Drosophila homologue of protein methyltransferase 5 (dPRMT5, csul/dart5), which is also the product of a grandchildless gene, is required for arginine methylation of Drosophila Piwi, Ago3 and Aub proteins in vivo. Loss of dPRMT5 activity led to a reduction in the levels of piRNAs, Ago3 and Aub proteins, and accumulation of retrotransposons in the Drosophila ovary. Our studies explain the relationship between aub and dPRMT5 (csul/dart5) genes by demonstrating that dPRMT5 is the enzyme that methylates Aub. Our findings underscore the significance of sDMA modification of Piwi proteins in the germline and suggest an interacting pathway of genes that are required for piRNA function and PGC specification.
Volume
11
Issue
5
First Page
652
Last Page
658
ISSN
1476-4679
Published In/Presented At
Kirino, Y., Kim, N., de Planell-Saguer, M., Khandros, E., Chiorean, S., Klein, P. S., Rigoutsos, I., Jongens, T. A., & Mourelatos, Z. (2009). Arginine methylation of Piwi proteins catalysed by dPRMT5 is required for Ago3 and Aub stability. Nature cell biology, 11(5), 652–658. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncb1872
Disciplines
Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods
PubMedID
19377467
Department(s)
Administration and Leadership
Document Type
Article