Piwi-like protein 2 (PIWIL2)

Endoribonuclease that plays a central role during spermatogenesis by repressing transposable elements and preventing their mobilization, which is vital for the germline integrity (By similarity). Plays an important role in meiotic differentiation of spermatocytes, germ cell differentiation and in self-renewal of spermatogonial stem cells (By similarity).

Acts via the piRNA metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and regulate the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons (By similarity). During piRNA biosynthesis, plays a key role in the piRNA amplification loop, also termed ping-pong amplification cycle, by acting as a'slicer- capable' piRNA endoribonuclease that cleaves primary piRNAs, which are then loaded onto'slicer-incompetent' PIWIL4 (By similarity).