piRNA

piRNA全名Piwi-interacting RNA，是一類小型非編碼RNA分子，長度大約是29到30個核苷酸。在许多动物（包括无脊椎动物）的生殖腺中都有被发现，並且可以和Piwi蛋白結合形成piRNA複合物（piRNA complexes，piRCs）。與RNA沉默（RNA silencing）作用有關。

相關文獻

• N.C. Lau et al., "Characterization of the piRNA Complex from Rat Testes," Science 313, 363 (2006)
• V.N. Kim, "Small RNAs Just Got Bigger: Piwi-Interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in Mammalian Testes," Genes Dev. 20, 1993 (2006)
• A. Girard et al., "A Germline-Specific Class of Small RNAs Binds Mammalian Piwi Proteins," Nature 442, 199 (2006)
• A. Aravin et al., "A Novel Class of Small RNAs Bind to MILI Protein in Mouse Testes," Nature 442, 203 (2006)
• S.T. Grivna et al., "A Novel Class of Small RNAs in Mouse Spermatogenic Cells," Genes Dev. 20, 1709 (2006)