Potential Mitochondrial-Specific Function Of piRNAs

Abstract

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are (26-31 nt) small noncoding RNAs processed from their longer precursor transcripts with the help of Piwi proteins. There are more than 30,000 piRNA genes present in the human genome which now turns out to be emerging player in both homeostasis and diseases. Localization of piRNA and PIWI in the repeat region of the mammalian nuclear genome in germ cells has been reported, although localization and potential functional role of piRNA in the mammalian mitochondrial genome are largely unknown. We have taken 111 piRNA sequences found in the MCF-7 mitochondrial genome, which is obtained by NGS analysis for alignment study. Resulting piRNA have been aligned with DQ112870 North American Homo sapiens mitochondrion genome for studying post- transcriptional roles of piRNA.