piwi

English

Etymology

Short for P-element induced wimpy testis in Drosophila.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /ˈpiwi/

Noun

piwi (plural piwis)

  1. (genetics, attributive) A class of genes originally identified as encoding regulatory proteins responsible for maintaining incomplete differentiation in stem cells and maintaining the stability of cell division rates in germline cells.
    • 2015 August 25, David Roquis et al., “The Epigenome of Schistosoma mansoni Provides Insight about How Cercariae Poise Transcription until Infection”, in PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases‎, volume 9, DOI:10.1371/journal.pntd.0003853:
      However, piwi and tudor-domain containing genes are absent from flukes and tapeworms and no true vasa orthologue has been identified in schistosomes.
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