This work highlights that parasites 🪱 can adapt genomic fossils into tools for cross-species communication 🧬

We also found that non-autonomous copies and soloLTRs are the preferred sources of secreted exWAGO small RNA guides, suggesting that degradation is followed by co-option for cross-species RNA communication.

Using comparative transcriptomics, we demonstrated that exWAGO regulates a broad set of transposable elements, with a deep and conserved link to the modulation of LTR retrotransposons.

This work highlights that parasites 🪱 can adapt genomic fossils into tools for cross-species communication 🧬

We also found that non-autonomous copies and soloLTRs are the preferred sources of secreted exWAGO small RNA guides, suggesting that degradation is followed by co-option for cross-species RNA communication.

Using comparative transcriptomics, we demonstrated that exWAGO regulates a broad set of transposable elements, with a deep and conserved link to the modulation of LTR retrotransposons.