Lint-O cooperates with L(3)mbt in target gene suppression to maintain homeostasis in fly ovary and brain.

Loss-of-function mutations in Drosophila lethal(3)malignant brain tumor [l(3)mbt] cause ectopic expression of germline genes and brain tumors. Loss of L(3)mbt function in ovarian somatic cells (OSCs) aberrantly activates germ-specific piRNA amplification and leads to infertility. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear.