PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of small RNAs that are known to associate with the PIWI proteins Argonaute 3, Aubergine and Piwi to silence retrotransposons in Drosophila germ lines. However, the primary processing pathway, one of two systems to produce piRNAs in Drosophila, remains incompletely characterized. Primary piRNA processing in a Drosophila ovarian somatic cell line is now analysed to reveal the large Maf gene traffic jam as a new piRNA cluster.
- Kuniaki Saito
- Sachi Inagaki
- Mikiko C. Siomi