[Participation of the piRNA pathway in recruiting a component of RNA polymerase I transcription initiation complex to germline cell nucleoli]

Proteins of the Piwi family and short Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) ensure the protection of the genome from transposable elements. We have previously shown that nuclear Piwi protein tends to concentrate in the nucleoli of the cells of Drosophila melanogaster ovaries. It could be hypothesized that the function of Piwi in the nucleolus is associated with the repression of R1 and R2 retrotransposons inserted into the rDNA cluster. Here, we show that Piwi participates in recruiting Udd protein to nucleoli. Udd is a component of the conserved Selectivity Factor I-like (SL1-like) complex, which is required for transcription initiation by RNA polymerase I. We found that Udd localization depends on Piwi in germline cells, but not in somatic cells of the ovaries. In contrast, knockdowns of the SL1-like components (Udd or TAF1b) do not disrupt Piwi localization. We also observed that the absence of Udd or TAF1b in germline cells, as well as the impairment of Piwi nuclear localization lead to the accumulation of late stage egg chambers in the ovaries, which could be explained by reduced rRNA transcription. These results allow us to propose for the first time a role for Piwi in the nucleolus that is not directly associated with transposable element repression.

[The role of Piwi nuclear localization in the differentiation and proliferation of germline stem cells]

The Piwi protein and its orthologs are considered as the key components of the piRNA machinery implicated in transcriptional silencing of transposons. Неre, we show that nuclear localization of the Piwi protein is required not only for transposon repression, but also for proper differentiation of germline stem cells (GSCs). piwi^(Nt) mutation that causes loss of nuclear Piwi and its retention in the cytoplasm leads to the accumulation of undifferentiated GSC-like cells. The analysis of piwi^(Nt) mutation in combination with a bam gene mutation blocking GSC differentiation shows that the loss of nuclear Piwi decreases GSC proliferation rate. This is accompanied by the accumulation of DNA double-strand breaks in GSCs that may be caused by transposition events. Here, for the first time a set of transposons repressed by Piwi in GSCs and surrounding niche cells has been identified. The present study together with our previous data show that nuclear and cytoplasmic Piwi can regulate different stages of the functioning of germinal cells: cytoplasmic Piwi is sufficient to maintain GSCs, while nuclear Piwi localization is necessary for their proper proliferation and differentiation.

Multifunctionality of PIWI proteins in control of germline stem cell fate

PIWI proteins interacting with specific type of small RNAs (piRNAs) repress transposable elements in animals. Besides, they have been shown to participate in various cellular processes: in the regulation of heterochromatin formation including telomere structures, in the control of translation and the cell cycle, and in DNA rearrangements. PIWI proteins were first identified by their roles in the self-renewal of germline stem cells. PIWI protein functions are not limited to gonadogenesis, but the role in determining the fate of stem cells is their specific feature conserved throughout the evolution of animals. Molecular mechanisms underlying these processes are far from being understood. This review focuses on the role of PIWI proteins in the control of maintenance and proliferation of germinal stem cells and its relation to the known function of PIWI in transposon repression.