Figure 7.

Human piRNA silences mouse Dpy19L2, resulting in male sterility that can be rescued by human Dpy19L2. (A) A schematic showing the targeting of mouse Dpy19L2 mRNA by a Hu6 human piRNA. The format is the same as in Figure 2D, except that the orange sequence denotes the expected cleavage product based on the detected sense piRNA rather than on a 5′RACE tag. (B) A schematic showing the targeting of the mouse Dpy19L2 sequence in A by a mouse piRNA that best matches it. Note that there are eight mismatches within the secondary seed (antisense piRNA nucleotides 12–21). (C) A schematic showing the targeting of the human Dpy19L2 mRNA sequence orthologous to the targeted mouse Dpy19L2 sequence in A by the same Hu6 human piRNA in A, with two mismatches in the primary seed. (D) Genetic cross between a double-transgenic male containing both the Hu6 cluster and human Dpy19L2 gene and a wild-type female. The genotypic frequency of F1 offspring is displayed. Rescue of Hu6 male sterility by HgDpy19L2 was observed in at least three double-transgenic males.