Detection of PIWI and piRNAs in the mitochondria of mammalian cancer cells

Journal Article · Fri Mar 28 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BBRC.2014.02.112· OSTI ID:22416339

Kwon, ChangHyuk ^[1]; Tak, Hyosun ^[2]; Rho, Mina ^[3]; Balch, Curt ^[4]; Nam, Seungyoon ^[1]

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1. Cancer Genomics Branch, National Cancer Center, Goyang 410-769 (Korea, Republic of)
2. Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of)
3. Department of Computer Science, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791 (Korea, Republic of)
4. Medical Sciences Program, Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, IN 47405 (United States)

Highlights: • piRNA sequences were mapped to human mitochondrial (mt) genome. • We inspected small RNA-Seq datasets from somatic cell mt subcellular fractions. • Piwi and piRNA transcripts are present in mammalian somatic cancer cell mt fractions. - Abstract: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are 26–31 nt small noncoding RNAs that are processed from their longer precursor transcripts by Piwi proteins. Localization of Piwi and piRNA has been reported mostly in nucleus and cytoplasm of higher eukaryotes germ-line cells, where it is believed that known piRNA sequences are located in repeat regions of nuclear genome in germ-line cells. However, localization of PIWI and piRNA in mammalian somatic cell mitochondria yet remains largely unknown. We identified 29 piRNA sequence alignments from various regions of the human mitochondrial genome. Twelve out 29 piRNA sequences matched stem-loop fragment sequences of seven distinct tRNAs. We observed their actual expression in mitochondria subcellular fractions by inspecting mitochondrial-specific small RNA-Seq datasets. Of interest, the majority of the 29 piRNAs overlapped with multiple longer transcripts (expressed sequence tags) that are unique to the human mitochondrial genome. The presence of mature piRNAs in mitochondria was detected by qRT-PCR of mitochondrial subcellular RNAs. Further validation showed detection of Piwi by colocalization using anti-Piwil1 and mitochondria organelle-specific protein antibodies.

• OSTI ID: 22416339
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Journal Name: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 446; ISSN 0006-291X; ISSN BBRCA9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ANTIBODIES
CELL NUCLEI
CYTOPLASM
HUMAN POPULATIONS
MITOCHONDRIA
NEOPLASMS
POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION
PRECURSOR
PROTEINS
RNA
SOMATIC CELLS
STRUCTURAL CHEMICAL ANALYSIS