piRNA

piRNA全名Piwi-interacting RNA，是一类小型非编码RNA分子，长度大约是29到30个核苷酸。在许多动物（包括无脊椎动物）的生殖腺中都有被发现，并且可以和PIWI蛋白结合形成piRNA复合物（piRNA complexes，piRCs）。与RNA沉默（RNA silencing）作用有关。

相关文献

• Lau, Nelson C.; Seto, Anita G.; Kim, Jinkuk; Kuramochi-Miyagawa, Satomi; Nakano, Toru; Bartel, David P.; Kingston, Robert E. Characterization of the piRNA Complex from Rat Testes. Science. 2006-07-21, 313 (5785): 363–367 [2021-11-10]. ISSN 0036-8075. doi:10.1126/science.1130164. （原始内容存档于2021-11-10） （英语）. 
• Kim, V. N. Small RNAs just got bigger: Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in mammalian testes. Genes & Development. 2006-08-01, 20 (15): 1993–1997. ISSN 0890-9369. doi:10.1101/gad.1456106 （英语）. 
• Girard, Angélique; Sachidanandam, Ravi; Hannon, Gregory J.; Carmell, Michelle A. A germline-specific class of small RNAs binds mammalian Piwi proteins. Nature. 2006-07, 442 (7099): 199–202 [2021-11-10]. ISSN 0028-0836. doi:10.1038/nature04917. （原始内容存档于2022-04-07） （英语）. 
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• Grivna, Shane T.; Beyret, Ergin; Wang, Zhong; Lin, Haifan. A novel class of small RNAs in mouse spermatogenic cells. Genes & Development. 2006-07-01, 20 (13): 1709–1714. ISSN 0890-9369. PMC 1522066 . PMID 16766680. doi:10.1101/gad.1434406 （英语）.