Nonredundant functions for Aedes albopictus Piwi5 in piRNA biogenesis and transposon silencing
PIWI-interacting (pi)RNAs play a crucial role in safeguarding genome integrity by repressing transposable elements (TEs) in the animal germline. In Aedes mosquitoes, the piRNA pathway is also active in non-gonadal tissues and processes diverse substrates, including protein-coding mRNAs and viral RNA, suggesting functio...