RNA exosome catalytic subunit Exosc10 promotes germ cell development

RNA exosome complex processes many non-coding RNAs both in the nucleus and cytoplasm of mammalian cells. The role of RNA exosome complex in the transcription and post-transcriptional regulation of piRNAs has not been investigated. Here, we investigate the role of Exosc10, one of the two 3’-5’ RNA exoribonuclease subunits of the RNA exosome complex, in controlling the level of piRNAs and miRNAs in germ cells. piRNAs have essential role in silencing transposons in germ cells, thereby preventing genomic instability and promoting spermatogenesis whereas miRNAs regulate mRNA expression via post transcriptional mechanisms. RNA exosome core subunit Exosc3 and catalytic subunit Exosc10 show high expression levels and interacts with PIWI proteins in germ cells. Conditional knockout RNA exosome subunit Exosc10 results in smaller testis and arrested spermatogenesis at spermatocyte II stage. Small RNA transcriptome analyses unraveled a role of Exosoc10 in the degradation of piRNAs and miRNAs as well as tRNAs, rRNAs and snoRNAs. Taken together, our study identifies a specific role of Exosc10 in germ cell development that is independent of any widespread small RNA and mRNA biogenesis mechanisms