Mitochondrial cardiolipin hydrolase (Pld6)

Endonuclease that plays a critical role in PIWI- interacting RNA (piRNA) biogenesis during spermatogenesis. PiRNAs provide essential protection against the activity of mobile genetic elements.

PiRNA-mediated transposon silencing is thus critical for maintaining genome stability, in particular in germline cells when transposons are mobilized as a consequence of wide-spread genomic demethylation (PubMed:23064227, PubMed:23064230). Has been proposed to serve as a cardiolipin hydrolase to create phosphatidic acid in mitochondrial surface (PubMed:21397847, PubMed:21397848).