MIWI and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA), which binds to PIWI family members including MIWI, contribute to post-transcriptional regulation in spermiogenesis, however, their molecular functions had been unclear. Recently, Zhao and colleagues reported that loading of piRNA to MIWI leads to ubiquitin-proteasome mediated degradation in late spermatid and that this process is essential for the maturation from late spermatid to sperm. This paper casts a novel insight on the function of MIWI and the interaction between piRNA and the PIWI family member in spermatogenesis.

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