(Abstracted from Cell 2017;169:1090–1104)
Genetic studies in worms, flies, fish, and mice indicate that the evolutionarily conserved Piwi proteins are specifically expressed during the development of the animal germline and are essential for gametogenesis in animals. Vertebrate Piwi proteins include MIWI in mice and HIWI in humans.
State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Andrology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science (L.-T.G., J.-Y.K., P.D., X.W., F.L., S.Z., M.-M.H., L.-G.W., M.-F.L.); State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (M.Z., J.L.); Key Lab of Reproduction Regulation of NPFPC–Shanghai Institute of Planned Parenthood Research, Fudan University Reproduction and Development Institution (M.-M.H., Y.L., H.-J.S.); Department of Andrology and PFD, Center for Men's Health, Department of ART, Institute of Urology, Urologic Medical Center Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Key Lab of Reproductive Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Y.Z., Z.L.); Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University (H.C.); Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences (D.L.), Shanghai, China; Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA (L.-T.G., X.-D.F.); School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University (J.L., M.-F.L.); and Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Fudan University (M.-F.L.), Shanghai, China
