Germ Plasm

Summary This study dissects the molecular interactions between Aubergine and Tudor-domain proteins and their roles in piRNA amplification through the ping-pong cycle and in the formation of the germ plasm. The findings provide mechanistic insight into how piRNA pathway components are organized in germ granules.

Summary This study shows that piRNAs promote germ plasm localization of mRNAs through a sequence-dependent but not sequence-specific adhesion mechanism. The findings reveal that the overall sequence composition, rather than specific complementarity, determines which mRNAs are retained in the germ plasm.