The transcription factor Traffic jam orchestrates the somatic piRNA pathway in Drosophila ovaries
Abstract
The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is essential for transposable element (TE) silencing in animal gonads. While the transcriptional regulation of piRNA pathway components in germ cells has been documented in mice and flies, their control in somatic cells of Drosophila ovaries remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that Traffic jam (Tj), the Drosophila orthologue of large Maf transcription factors in mammals, is a master regulator of the somatic piRNA pathway. Tj binds to regulatory regions of somatic piRNA factors and the major piRNA cluster flamenco , which carries a Tj-bound enhancer downstream of its promoter. Depletion of Tj in somatic follicle cells causes downregulation of piRNA factors, loss of flam expression and de-repression of gypsy -family TEs. We propose that the arms race between the host and TEs led to the co-evolution of promoters in piRNA pathway genes as well as TE regulatory regions that both rely on a shared transcription factor. Highlights - Traffic jam (Tj) acts as a master regulator of the somatic piRNA pathway in Drosophila . - Tj regulates a network of piRNA pathway genes, mirroring the gene-regulatory mechanism of A-MYB in the mouse testis and Ovo in fly ovaries. - Cis -regulatory elements with Tj motifs are present at the promoters of somatic piRNA pathway genes. - The expression of the flamenco piRNA cluster is directly controlled by Tj.
Related
- MED20 biallelic pathogenic variants cause a neurodevelopmental disorder altering both transcription activity and Transcription-Coupled Repair pathway
- Multivalency in endocytic accessory proteins orchestrates membrane shape transitions
- EPG5 orchestrates iron compartmentalization through dual regulation in macroferritinophagy
- Hat1 Orchestrates Heterochromatin Structure by Regulating Localization of H3K9 Methyltransferases
- Trans-branching of polyubiquitin chains orchestrates the DNA replication stress response
BibTeX
@article{alizada2026transcription,
title = {{The transcription factor Traffic jam orchestrates the somatic piRNA pathway in Drosophila ovaries}},
author = {Azad Alizada and Aline Martins and Nolwenn Mouniée and Julia Rodriguez Suarez and Benjamin Bertin and Nathalie Gueguen and Vincent Mirouse and Anna-Maria Papameletiou and Austin Rivera and Nelson Lau and Abdou Akkouche and Stéphanie Maupetit-Méhouas and Gregory Hannon and Benjamin Czech Nicholson and Emilie Brasset},
journal = {Cell Reports},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115453},
url = {https://hal.science/hal-05752289v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The transcription factor Traffic jam orchestrates the somatic piRNA pathway in Drosophila ovaries
AU - Azad Alizada
AU - Aline Martins
AU - Nolwenn Mouniée
AU - Julia Rodriguez Suarez
AU - Benjamin Bertin
AU - Nathalie Gueguen
AU - Vincent Mirouse
AU - Anna-Maria Papameletiou
AU - Austin Rivera
AU - Nelson Lau
AU - Abdou Akkouche
AU - Stéphanie Maupetit-Méhouas
AU - Gregory Hannon
AU - Benjamin Czech Nicholson
AU - Emilie Brasset
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/16
JO - Cell Reports
DO - 10.1016/j.celrep.2025.115453
UR - https://hal.science/hal-05752289v1
AB - The PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is essential for transposable element (TE) silencing in animal gonads. While the transcriptional regulation of piRNA pathway components in germ cells has been documented in mice and flies, their control in somatic cells of Drosophila ovaries remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that Traffic jam (Tj), the Drosophila orthologue of large Maf transcription factors in mammals, is a master regulator of the somatic piRNA pathway. Tj binds to regulatory regions of somatic piRNA factors and the major piRNA cluster flamenco , which carries a Tj-bound enhancer downstream of its promoter. Depletion of Tj in somatic follicle cells causes downregulation of piRNA factors, loss of flam expression and de-repression of gypsy -family TEs. We propose that the arms race between the host and TEs led to the co-evolution of promoters in piRNA pathway genes as well as TE regulatory regions that both rely on a shared transcription factor. Highlights - Traffic jam (Tj) acts as a master regulator of the somatic piRNA pathway in Drosophila . - Tj regulates a network of piRNA pathway genes, mirroring the gene-regulatory mechanism of A-MYB in the mouse testis and Ovo in fly ovaries. - Cis -regulatory elements with Tj motifs are present at the promoters of somatic piRNA pathway genes. - The expression of the flamenco piRNA cluster is directly controlled by Tj.
SN - 2211-1247
SN - 2211-1247
ER -