In this study, the authors analysed a large genomic dataset to trace how jumping genes shaped the global spread of a major wheat pathogen and reveal bursts of activity over decades that drove adaptati...

Here, the authors propose that primate-specific transposons facilitated the evolution of inflammatory responses in great apes, with Alus shaping adaptive potential in modern humans.

Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive DNA sequences that can alter their position and abundance within genomes. While TEs are known to have various impacts on genome structure and function, our u...

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Abstract. Sex determination in vertebrates exhibits remarkable evolutionary plasticity, with diverse mechanisms and master sex-determining (MSD) genes aris

Abstract. To limit transposable element (TE) mobilization, most eukaryotes have evolved small RNAs to silence TE activity via homology-dependent mechanisms

Join us at the Keystone Symposia on Epigenetics and Gene Regulation in Health and Disease: Linking Basic Mechanisms with Therapeutic Opportunities, March 2026, in Geneva, with field leaders!

Abstract. Phenotypic variation in species arises from genetic differences and environmental influences on gene expression. Differences in epigenetic modifi

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are critical for transposon silencing and genome integrity, as well as gene expression regulation and antiviral immunity in metazoans, yet the molecular mechanisms governing their biogenesis remain incompletely understood. The participation of the splicing-associated process in piRNA biogenesis has been emphasized in multiple species, but the key factors and mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we identified SUGP1 (SURP and G-Patch Domain Containing 1) in BmE (a unique model cell system with a complete piRNA biogenesis pathway) as a key splicing factor that functions in piRNA biogenesis. Through CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene knockdown in cultured cells combined with RNA-seq, small RNA-seq, and IP-mass spectrometry (IP-MS), our results reveal that SUGP1 deficiency disrupts piRNA accumulation, alters mature piRNA length distributions, and activates transposon expression. Immunofluorescence and Western blot (WB) analyses further demonstrate that SUGP1 interacts with Y-box protein (YBP), which is key regulators of RNA metabolism. Functional validation in Drosophila SUGP1-RNAi lines highlights evolutionary conserved and species-specific roles of SUGP1 in piRNA maturation. Collectively, our data uncover a dual role for silkworm SUGP1 in coordinating YBP-dependent piRNA biogenesis, thus elucidating a novel mechanistic framework for piRNA pathway regulation. Our work also underscores the silkworm as a unique model for studying non-canonical piRNA biogenesis mechanisms, with implications for treating transposon dysregulation-linked diseases.

Maternal storage is a fundamental feature of female gametes and is essential for maintaining oocyte quality and preserving developmental competence. Embryonic development relies on maternally deposite...

Position Summary This position will be in the lab of Dr. Joseph E. Peters in the Department of Microbiology. Research in the Peters’ lab broadly involves deciphering mechanisms in genome stability and...

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes mobilize nucleosomes, but how such mobilization affects chromatin condensation is unclear. We investigate effects of two major remod...

Abstract. Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive sequences capable of mobilizing within genomes, exerting a significant influence on evolution througho