# piRNA-mediated genome surveillance of germline transcripts

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2022 · $335,738

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
 Invasive foreign nucleic acids such as transposons and viruses pose a threat to all organisms,
potentially causing genome instability and diseases including cancer and infertility. In animals,
germline-expressed small RNAs known as piRNAs interact with PIWI-clade Argonaute proteins and
act as a guardian of the genome by silencing transposable elements. The long-term goal of my
laboratory is to address two critical functions of small RNA-mediated genome defense: (1) How do
cells distinguish “self” from “non-self” nucleic acids? (2) How do cells epigenetically silence foreign
nucleic acids for generations.
 One astonishing feature of piRNAs is their sequence diversity. Despite their critical role in
transposon silencing, tens of thousands of piRNAs exhibit remarkable sequence diversity and do not
map to transposons. Using C. elegans as a model organism, our recent research suggests diverse
piRNAs provide sequence complexity needed for germ cells to recognize various foreign nucleic
acids. Remarkably, endogenous genes carry licensing signals that confer resistance to piRNA
silencing. Therefore, our research suggests gene-licensing as a key mechanism that prevents
endogenous genes from silencing. However, the nature of the gene-licensing signals and how they
counter gene silencing remain poorly understood.
 piRNAs can trigger epigenetically stable silencing of foreign nucleic acids for generations. The
inheritance of gene silencing requires germline secondary small RNAs (22G-RNAs) and chromatin
modifications. However, only some foreign nucleic acids are stably silenced by piRNAs. It is unknown
what determines the stability of piRNA silencing. We will test the hypothesis that the competition
between silencing and licensing signals act on mRNAs determines their expression states, and only
genes of strongly silenced states are stably silenced for generations.
 Taken together, this proposal will investigate the mechanisms that protect self genes from gene
silencing. In addition, we will examine how the inheritance of piRNA silencing is determined. In Aim-1,
we will adapt genetic and biochemical approaches to investigate the mechanism of gene licensing. In
Aim-2, We will investigate how the licensing and silencing pathways compete to determine the
expression or silencing of germline transcripts over generations. In Aim-3 we will use our piRNA
reporter to identify novel factors that promote and inhibit piRNA silencing. These studies will provide
fundamental insights into the small RNA-mediated genome defense system, as well as into the
molecular basis of epigenetic inheritance. As PIWI mutants exhibit fertility defects in various animals,
our research will uncover the molecular mechanism underlying some fertility defects in humans.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10348120
- **Project number:** 5R01GM132457-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Heng-Chi Lee
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $335,738
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-05-01 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10348120

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10348120, piRNA-mediated genome surveillance of germline transcripts (5R01GM132457-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10348120. Licensed CC0.

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