Heterochromatin protein 1a functions for piRNA biogenesis predominantly from pericentric and telomeric regions in Drosophila

Abstract

Heterochromatin protein 1a (HP1a) is thought to function downstream of transposon repression in the Drosophila female germline. Here the authors show that HP1a also functions upstream of piRNA processing by repressing splicing of piRNA precursors, predominantly at telomeric and centromeric regions.