The PIWI protein Aubergine recruits eIF3 to activate translation in the germ plasm

Abstract

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and PIWI proteins are essential in germ cells to repress transposons and regulate mRNAs. In Drosophila, piRNAs bound to the PIWI protein Aubergine (Aub) are transferred maternally to the embryo and regulate maternal mRNA stability through two opposite roles. They target mRNAs by incomplete base-pairing, leading to both their destabilization in the soma, and stabilization in the germ plasm. Here, we report a function of Aub in translation. Aub is required for translational activation of nanos mRNA, a key determinant of the germ plasm. Aub physically interacts with the poly(A) binding protein PABP and the translation initiation factor eIF3. Polysome gradient profiling identifies Aub role at the initiation step of translation. In the germ plasm, PABP and eIF3d assemble in foci that surround Aub-containing germ granules, and Aub acts with eIF3d to promote nanos translation. These results reveal a new mode of mRNA regulation by Aub, highlighting PIWI protein versatility in mRNA regulation.