Piwi-Like Protein 4 (PIWIL4) ELISA Kit for Human

PIWIL4: Plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and prevent their mobilization, which is essential for the germline integrity. Acts via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and govern the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons. Directly binds piRNAs, a class of 24 to 30 nucleotide RNAs that are generated by a Dicer-independent mechanism and are primarily derived from transposons and other repeated sequence elements. Associates with secondary piRNAs antisense and PIWIL2/MILI is required for such association. The piRNA process acts upstream of known mediators of DNA methylation. Participates in a piRNA amplification loop. Besides their function in transposable elements repression, piRNAs are probably involved in other processes during meiosis such as translation regulation. May be involved in the chromatin-modifying pathway by inducing 'Lys-9' methylation of histone H3 at some loci. Belongs to the argonaute family. Piwi subfamily. 3 isoforms of the human protein are produced by alternative splicing.

Protein type: Unknown function

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 11q21

Cellular Component: cytoplasm; nucleus

Molecular Function: endoribonuclease activity

Biological Process: cell differentiation; DNA methylation during gametogenesis; meiotic cell cycle; multicellular organism development; regulation of translation; RNA-mediated gene silencing; spermatogenesis