Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are vital for genome integrity and fertility. Here the authors reveal that spatial clustering of piRNA genes in Caenorhabditis elegans promotes transcription through phase separation and deSUMOylation, uncovering a SUMOylation-regulated mechanism for piRNA production in heterochromatic genomes.
- Chengming Zhu
- Xiaoyue Si
- Shouhong Guang
