On July 18, 2024, the Team led by Professor DING Deqiang from the School of Life Sciences and Technology and Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Tongji University published an online article in Developmental Cell, titled TDRD1 phase separation drives intermitochondrial cement assembly to promote piRNA biogenesis and fertility. It uncovers the molecular mechanism by which the TDRD1 protein drives the assembly of intermitochondrial cement (IMC) through phase separation. It demonstrates that phase separation-driven IMC assembly is crucial for piRNA processing, transposon silencing, and spermatogenic arrest.

The research verified the physiological role of TDRD1 phase separation in IMC assembly, piRNA biogenesis, and transposon silencing during spermatogenesis. It links phase separation to the assembly of mammalian germ granules, and provides new insights into the formation and function of membrane-less organelles in reproductive cells. It is of great significance for further understanding the regulatory mechanisms of mammalian spermatogenesis. 

Link to paper : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.devcel.2024.06.017