Nancy Paniagua

All Publications

• The Upstream Sequence Transcription Complex dictates nucleosome positioning and promoter accessibility at piRNA genes in the <i>C</i>. <i>elegans</i> germ line PLOS GENETICS Paniagua, N., Roberts, C., Gonzalez, L. E., Monedero-Alonso, D., Reinke, V. 2024; 20 (7): e1011345

  Abstract

  The piRNA pathway is a conserved germline-specific small RNA pathway that ensures genomic integrity and continued fertility. In C. elegans and other nematodes, Type-I piRNAs are expressed from >10,000 independently transcribed genes clustered within two discrete domains of 1.5 and 3.5 MB on Chromosome IV. Clustering of piRNA genes contributes to their germline-specific expression, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We analyze isolated germ nuclei to demonstrate that the piRNA genomic domains are located in a heterochromatin-like environment. USTC (Upstream Sequence Transcription Complex) promotes strong association of nucleosomes throughout piRNA clusters, yet organizes the local nucleosome environment to direct the exposure of individual piRNA genes. Localization of USTC to the piRNA domains depends upon the ATPase chromatin remodeler ISW-1, which maintains high nucleosome density across piRNA clusters and ongoing production of piRNA precursors. Overall, this work provides insight into how chromatin states coordinate transcriptional regulation over large genomic domains, with implications for global genome organization.

  View details for DOI 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011345

  View details for Web of Science ID 001268274000001

  View details for PubMedID 38985845

  View details for PubMedCentralID PMC11262695