{"gene":"TEX15","run_date":"2026-04-28T21:42:58","timeline":{"discoveries":[{"year":2008,"finding":"TEX15 is required for loading of DNA repair proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto meiotic chromosome sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs); TEX15-deficient mouse spermatocytes form DSBs normally but fail to recruit RAD51/DMC1, causing chromosomal synapsis failure and meiotic arrest in males but not females.","method":"Knockout mouse model with immunofluorescence localization of RAD51 and DMC1 on meiotic chromosomes; cytological analysis of chromosomal synapsis","journal":"The Journal of cell biology","confidence":"High","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 — clean KO with specific cellular phenotype, replicated across multiple readouts (RAD51, DMC1 localization + synapsis + DSB formation), highly cited foundational study","pmids":["18283110"],"is_preprint":false},{"year":2020,"finding":"TEX15 associates with MIWI2 in foetal gonocytes and functions as a predominantly nuclear protein that is not required for piRNA biogenesis but is essential for piRNA-directed de novo DNA methylation and silencing of transposable elements in the male germline.","method":"Co-immunoprecipitation (MIWI2-TEX15 interaction), subcellular fractionation/nuclear localization, piRNA sequencing, DNA methylation analysis (bisulfite sequencing) in Tex15 mutant mice","journal":"Nature communications","confidence":"High","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 — reciprocal Co-IP, direct localization, KO with piRNA and methylation readouts, multiple orthogonal methods in one study","pmids":["32719317"],"is_preprint":false},{"year":2020,"finding":"TEX15 associates with MILI (not MIWI2) in testis and functions as a nuclear effector of the MILI piRNA pathway to silence transposable elements via DNA methylation; Tex15 mutant mice show TE hypomethylation at a level similar to Mili and Dnmt3c mutants but not Miwi2 mutants, placing TEX15 in the MILI branch of the piRNA pathway.","method":"Co-immunoprecipitation (TEX15-MILI), DNA methylation analysis, genetic epistasis comparing Tex15, Mili, Miwi2, and Dnmt3c mutants","journal":"Genes & development","confidence":"High","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 — reciprocal Co-IP plus genetic epistasis with multiple mutants, two independent labs reporting TEX15 role in piRNA/methylation pathway","pmids":["32381626"],"is_preprint":false},{"year":2025,"finding":"Tex15 is transiently expressed in vomeronasal sensory neuron (VSN) precursors and is required for diversity of vomeronasal receptor (V1R and V2R) expression; loss of Tex15 results in dysregulated receptor choice, reduced VSN repertoire diversity, decreased accessory olfactory bulb activation to male odorants, and loss of stereotyped intermale aggression.","method":"Tex15 knockout mouse with RNA analysis of vomeronasal receptor expression, c-Fos activation in accessory olfactory bulb, behavioral assay (intermale aggression)","journal":"bioRxiv","confidence":"Medium","confidence_rationale":"Tier 2 — KO with defined cellular and behavioral phenotypes, but preprint and single lab","pmids":["41415471"],"is_preprint":true}],"current_model":"TEX15 is a testis-enriched nuclear protein that operates at two distinct steps of meiotic recombination/epigenetic regulation: it facilitates loading of DSB repair proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto meiotic chromosomes during spermatogenesis, and it functions as a nuclear effector downstream of both MILI and MIWI2 piRNA pathways to direct de novo DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in the male germline; additionally, Tex15 is transiently expressed in vomeronasal sensory neuron precursors where it controls receptor repertoire diversity and pheromone-driven behavior."},"narrative":{"teleology":[{"year":2008,"claim":"Establishing that TEX15 has a specific mechanistic role in meiotic recombination — not in DSB formation itself, but in the downstream step of loading RAD51 and DMC1 onto break sites — explained why loss of this testis protein causes male-specific meiotic arrest with intact DSB induction but defective synapsis.","evidence":"Tex15 knockout mouse with immunofluorescence for RAD51/DMC1 on meiotic spreads and cytological synapsis analysis","pmids":["18283110"],"confidence":"High","gaps":["Biochemical mechanism by which TEX15 promotes RAD51/DMC1 loading is unknown","Why females are unaffected despite shared meiotic recombination machinery is unexplained","No structural or domain-function analysis of TEX15"]},{"year":2020,"claim":"Two independent studies repositioned TEX15 from a meiotic recombination factor to a dual-function nuclear effector of the piRNA/DNA methylation axis: one study showed TEX15 associates with MIWI2 in foetal gonocytes and is required for piRNA-directed TE methylation without affecting piRNA biogenesis; the other showed TEX15 associates with MILI and phenocopies Mili/Dnmt3c mutants in TE hypomethylation, placing TEX15 at the convergence of both piRNA branches for de novo DNA methylation of transposons.","evidence":"Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation of TEX15 with MIWI2 and separately with MILI; piRNA sequencing in Tex15 mutants; bisulfite sequencing for TE methylation; genetic epistasis comparing Tex15, Mili, Miwi2, and Dnmt3c mutant methylation profiles","pmids":["32719317","32381626"],"confidence":"High","gaps":["Whether TEX15 directly recruits DNMT3C or another de novo methyltransferase to target loci is unknown","The two studies disagree on whether TEX15 primarily functions via MILI or MIWI2, and the relative contribution of each branch remains unresolved","How TEX15 coordinates its meiotic recombination role with its piRNA/methylation role during the different developmental stages is unclear"]},{"year":2025,"claim":"Extending TEX15 function beyond the germline, transient Tex15 expression in vomeronasal sensory neuron precursors was shown to control receptor repertoire diversity; loss of Tex15 distorted V1R/V2R receptor choice, reduced accessory olfactory bulb activation, and abolished stereotyped intermale aggression, suggesting a role in epigenetic regulation of receptor gene selection.","evidence":"Tex15 knockout mouse with VSN receptor RNA profiling, c-Fos mapping of accessory olfactory bulb, and behavioral aggression assays (preprint)","pmids":["41415471"],"confidence":"Medium","gaps":["Preprint not yet peer-reviewed; independent replication is needed","Whether the VSN phenotype reflects the same DNA methylation mechanism as in the germline is untested","Direct molecular targets of TEX15 in VSN precursors are unidentified"]},{"year":null,"claim":"The biochemical mechanism by which TEX15 bridges piRNA-loaded Piwi proteins to the de novo DNA methylation machinery, and separately promotes RAD51/DMC1 loading, remains unknown; no enzymatic activity, domain architecture, or structural information has been reported.","evidence":"","pmids":[],"confidence":"High","gaps":["No crystal or cryo-EM structure of TEX15 or any of its domains","No identified enzymatic or catalytic activity","Mechanism coupling piRNA target recognition to DNMT recruitment is entirely open"]}],"mechanism_profile":{"molecular_activity":[{"term_id":"GO:0060090","term_label":"molecular adaptor activity","supporting_discovery_ids":[0,1,2]}],"localization":[{"term_id":"GO:0005634","term_label":"nucleus","supporting_discovery_ids":[1,2]},{"term_id":"GO:0005694","term_label":"chromosome","supporting_discovery_ids":[0]}],"pathway":[{"term_id":"R-HSA-73894","term_label":"DNA Repair","supporting_discovery_ids":[0]},{"term_id":"R-HSA-4839726","term_label":"Chromatin organization","supporting_discovery_ids":[1,2]}],"complexes":[],"partners":["RAD51","DMC1","MILI","MIWI2"],"other_free_text":[]},"mechanistic_narrative":"TEX15 is a testis-enriched nuclear protein that functions at two critical junctures of male germ cell development: meiotic recombination and transposon silencing. During meiotic prophase, TEX15 is required for loading the strand-exchange proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto DNA double-strand break sites; Tex15-deficient spermatocytes form DSBs normally but fail to recruit these repair factors, leading to chromosomal asynapsis and male-specific meiotic arrest [PMID:18283110]. TEX15 also serves as a nuclear effector of the piRNA pathway, associating with MILI and MIWI2 to direct de novo DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in foetal gonocytes; Tex15 mutants phenocopy Mili/Dnmt3c mutants in the extent of transposon hypomethylation, establishing TEX15 as an essential downstream mediator of piRNA-guided epigenetic silencing [PMID:32719317, PMID:32381626]."},"prefetch_data":{"uniprot":{"accession":"Q9BXT5","full_name":"Testis-expressed protein 15","aliases":["Cancer/testis antigen 42","CT42"],"length_aa":2789,"mass_kda":315.3,"function":"Required during spermatogenesis for normal chromosome synapsis and meiotic recombination in germ cells. Necessary for formation of DMC1 and RAD51 foci on meiotic chromosomes, suggesting a specific role in DNA double-stranded break repair (By similarity). Essential executor of PIWIL4-piRNA pathway directed transposon DNA methylation and silencing in the male embryonic germ cells (By similarity). PIWIL4-piRNA binds to nascent transposon transcripts and interacts with TEX15, which may in turn recruit the epigenetic silencing machinery to the transposon loci (By similarity). Not required for piRNA biosynthesis (By similarity)","subcellular_location":"Cytoplasm; Nucleus","url":"https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q9BXT5/entry"},"depmap":{"release":"DepMap","has_data":true,"is_common_essential":false,"resolved_as":"","url":"https://depmap.org/portal/gene/TEX15","classification":"Not Classified","n_dependent_lines":0,"n_total_lines":1208,"dependency_fraction":0.0},"opencell":{"profiled":false,"resolved_as":"","ensg_id":"","cell_line_id":"","localizations":[],"interactors":[],"url":"https://opencell.sf.czbiohub.org/search/TEX15","total_profiled":1310},"omim":[{"mim_id":"617960","title":"SPERMATOGENIC FAILURE 25; SPGF25","url":"https://www.omim.org/entry/617960"},{"mim_id":"616729","title":"OLFACTORY RECEPTOR, FAMILY 2, SUBFAMILY W, MEMBER 3; OR2W3","url":"https://www.omim.org/entry/616729"},{"mim_id":"611127","title":"UBIQUITIN-LIKE 4B; UBL4B","url":"https://www.omim.org/entry/611127"},{"mim_id":"605795","title":"TESTIS-EXPRESSED GENE 15; TEX15","url":"https://www.omim.org/entry/605795"},{"mim_id":"258150","title":"SPERMATOGENIC FAILURE 1; SPGF1","url":"https://www.omim.org/entry/258150"}],"hpa":{"profiled":true,"resolved_as":"","reliability":"Approved","locations":[{"location":"Nucleoplasm","reliability":"Approved"},{"location":"Cytosol","reliability":"Approved"}],"tissue_specificity":"Group enriched","tissue_distribution":"Detected in some","driving_tissues":[{"tissue":"endometrium 1","ntpm":6.3},{"tissue":"smooth muscle","ntpm":4.9},{"tissue":"testis","ntpm":11.3}],"url":"https://www.proteinatlas.org/search/TEX15"},"hgnc":{"alias_symbol":["CT42"],"prev_symbol":[]},"alphafold":{"accession":"Q9BXT5","domains":[],"viewer_url":"https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/entry/Q9BXT5","model_url":"","pae_url":"","plddt_mean":null},"mouse_models":{"mgi_url":"https://www.informatics.jax.org/marker/summary?nomen=TEX15","jax_strain_url":"https://www.jax.org/strain/search?query=TEX15"},"sequence":{"accession":"Q9BXT5","fasta_url":"https://rest.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q9BXT5.fasta","uniprot_url":"https://www.uniprot.org/uniprotkb/Q9BXT5/entry","alphafold_viewer_url":"https://alphafold.ebi.ac.uk/entry/Q9BXT5"}},"corpus_meta":[{"pmid":"18283110","id":"PMC_18283110","title":"Mouse TEX15 is essential for DNA double-strand break repair and chromosomal synapsis during male meiosis.","date":"2008","source":"The Journal of cell biology","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18283110","citation_count":116,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"26199321","id":"PMC_26199321","title":"Exome sequencing reveals a nonsense mutation in TEX15 causing spermatogenic failure in a Turkish family.","date":"2015","source":"Human molecular genetics","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26199321","citation_count":95,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"32719317","id":"PMC_32719317","title":"TEX15 is an essential executor of MIWI2-directed transposon DNA methylation and silencing.","date":"2020","source":"Nature communications","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32719317","citation_count":54,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"32381626","id":"PMC_32381626","title":"TEX15 associates with MILI and silences transposable elements in male germ cells.","date":"2020","source":"Genes & development","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32381626","citation_count":42,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"28355598","id":"PMC_28355598","title":"Two Novel TEX15 Mutations in a Family with Nonobstructive Azoospermia.","date":"2017","source":"Gynecologic and obstetric investigation","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28355598","citation_count":41,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"22016351","id":"PMC_22016351","title":"Association study of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in FASLG, JMJDIA, LOC203413, TEX15, BRDT, OR2W3, INSR, and TAS2R38 genes with male infertility.","date":"2011","source":"Journal of andrology","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22016351","citation_count":37,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"29932616","id":"PMC_29932616","title":"Expression analysis of genes encoding TEX11, TEX12, TEX14 and TEX15 in testis tissues of men with non-obstructive azoospermia.","date":"2018","source":"JBRA assisted reproduction","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29932616","citation_count":27,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"22581801","id":"PMC_22581801","title":"Genetic variants in TEX15 gene conferred susceptibility to spermatogenic failure in the Chinese Han population.","date":"2012","source":"Reproductive sciences (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22581801","citation_count":25,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"28386063","id":"PMC_28386063","title":"Case-control analysis of truncating mutations in DNA damage response genes connects TEX15 and FANCD2 with hereditary breast cancer susceptibility.","date":"2017","source":"Scientific reports","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28386063","citation_count":19,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"28730685","id":"PMC_28730685","title":"TEX15: A DNA repair gene associated with prostate cancer risk in Han Chinese.","date":"2017","source":"The Prostate","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28730685","citation_count":10,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"37234866","id":"PMC_37234866","title":"Genomic study of TEX15 variants: prevalence and allelic heterogeneity in men with spermatogenic failure.","date":"2023","source":"Frontiers in genetics","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37234866","citation_count":6,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"35103426","id":"PMC_35103426","title":"Correlation of Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms ofUSP26, TEX15, and TNP2 Genes with Male Infertility in North West of Iran.","date":"2022","source":"International journal of fertility & sterility","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35103426","citation_count":4,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"40438407","id":"PMC_40438407","title":"Genome editing in mouse spermatogonial stem cell lines targeting the Tex15 gene using CRISPR/Cas9.","date":"2025","source":"Frontiers in veterinary science","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40438407","citation_count":0,"is_preprint":false},{"pmid":"41415471","id":"PMC_41415471","title":"Tex15 is required for vomeronasal sensory neuron diversity and male pheromone detection.","date":"2025","source":"bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology","url":"https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41415471","citation_count":0,"is_preprint":false}],"cost":{"stage1":{"model":"claude-sonnet-4-6","input_tokens":8218,"output_tokens":1159,"usd":0.021019},"stage2":{"model":"claude-opus-4-6","input_tokens":4357,"output_tokens":1551,"usd":0.09084},"total_usd":0.111859,"stage1_batch_id":"msgbatch_01RPbVc9PDH9zQmYK5Hs6srm","stage2_batch_id":"msgbatch_01JVbVLzeKN2yVrsGp3zC8aM","note":"batch pricing = 50% of standard"},"stage1_raw":"```json\n{\n  \"discoveries\": [\n    {\n      \"year\": 2008,\n      \"finding\": \"TEX15 is required for loading of DNA repair proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto meiotic chromosome sites of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs); TEX15-deficient mouse spermatocytes form DSBs normally but fail to recruit RAD51/DMC1, causing chromosomal synapsis failure and meiotic arrest in males but not females.\",\n      \"method\": \"Knockout mouse model with immunofluorescence localization of RAD51 and DMC1 on meiotic chromosomes; cytological analysis of chromosomal synapsis\",\n      \"journal\": \"The Journal of cell biology\",\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 — clean KO with specific cellular phenotype, replicated across multiple readouts (RAD51, DMC1 localization + synapsis + DSB formation), highly cited foundational study\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"18283110\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2020,\n      \"finding\": \"TEX15 associates with MIWI2 in foetal gonocytes and functions as a predominantly nuclear protein that is not required for piRNA biogenesis but is essential for piRNA-directed de novo DNA methylation and silencing of transposable elements in the male germline.\",\n      \"method\": \"Co-immunoprecipitation (MIWI2-TEX15 interaction), subcellular fractionation/nuclear localization, piRNA sequencing, DNA methylation analysis (bisulfite sequencing) in Tex15 mutant mice\",\n      \"journal\": \"Nature communications\",\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 — reciprocal Co-IP, direct localization, KO with piRNA and methylation readouts, multiple orthogonal methods in one study\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"32719317\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2020,\n      \"finding\": \"TEX15 associates with MILI (not MIWI2) in testis and functions as a nuclear effector of the MILI piRNA pathway to silence transposable elements via DNA methylation; Tex15 mutant mice show TE hypomethylation at a level similar to Mili and Dnmt3c mutants but not Miwi2 mutants, placing TEX15 in the MILI branch of the piRNA pathway.\",\n      \"method\": \"Co-immunoprecipitation (TEX15-MILI), DNA methylation analysis, genetic epistasis comparing Tex15, Mili, Miwi2, and Dnmt3c mutants\",\n      \"journal\": \"Genes & development\",\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 — reciprocal Co-IP plus genetic epistasis with multiple mutants, two independent labs reporting TEX15 role in piRNA/methylation pathway\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"32381626\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": false\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2025,\n      \"finding\": \"Tex15 is transiently expressed in vomeronasal sensory neuron (VSN) precursors and is required for diversity of vomeronasal receptor (V1R and V2R) expression; loss of Tex15 results in dysregulated receptor choice, reduced VSN repertoire diversity, decreased accessory olfactory bulb activation to male odorants, and loss of stereotyped intermale aggression.\",\n      \"method\": \"Tex15 knockout mouse with RNA analysis of vomeronasal receptor expression, c-Fos activation in accessory olfactory bulb, behavioral assay (intermale aggression)\",\n      \"journal\": \"bioRxiv\",\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"confidence_rationale\": \"Tier 2 — KO with defined cellular and behavioral phenotypes, but preprint and single lab\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"41415471\"],\n      \"is_preprint\": true\n    }\n  ],\n  \"current_model\": \"TEX15 is a testis-enriched nuclear protein that operates at two distinct steps of meiotic recombination/epigenetic regulation: it facilitates loading of DSB repair proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto meiotic chromosomes during spermatogenesis, and it functions as a nuclear effector downstream of both MILI and MIWI2 piRNA pathways to direct de novo DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in the male germline; additionally, Tex15 is transiently expressed in vomeronasal sensory neuron precursors where it controls receptor repertoire diversity and pheromone-driven behavior.\"\n}\n```","stage2_raw":"```json\n{\n  \"mechanistic_narrative\": \"TEX15 is a testis-enriched nuclear protein that functions at two critical junctures of male germ cell development: meiotic recombination and transposon silencing. During meiotic prophase, TEX15 is required for loading the strand-exchange proteins RAD51 and DMC1 onto DNA double-strand break sites; Tex15-deficient spermatocytes form DSBs normally but fail to recruit these repair factors, leading to chromosomal asynapsis and male-specific meiotic arrest [PMID:18283110]. TEX15 also serves as a nuclear effector of the piRNA pathway, associating with MILI and MIWI2 to direct de novo DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing of transposable elements in foetal gonocytes; Tex15 mutants phenocopy Mili/Dnmt3c mutants in the extent of transposon hypomethylation, establishing TEX15 as an essential downstream mediator of piRNA-guided epigenetic silencing [PMID:32719317, PMID:32381626].\",\n  \"teleology\": [\n    {\n      \"year\": 2008,\n      \"claim\": \"Establishing that TEX15 has a specific mechanistic role in meiotic recombination — not in DSB formation itself, but in the downstream step of loading RAD51 and DMC1 onto break sites — explained why loss of this testis protein causes male-specific meiotic arrest with intact DSB induction but defective synapsis.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Tex15 knockout mouse with immunofluorescence for RAD51/DMC1 on meiotic spreads and cytological synapsis analysis\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"18283110\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"Biochemical mechanism by which TEX15 promotes RAD51/DMC1 loading is unknown\",\n        \"Why females are unaffected despite shared meiotic recombination machinery is unexplained\",\n        \"No structural or domain-function analysis of TEX15\"\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2020,\n      \"claim\": \"Two independent studies repositioned TEX15 from a meiotic recombination factor to a dual-function nuclear effector of the piRNA/DNA methylation axis: one study showed TEX15 associates with MIWI2 in foetal gonocytes and is required for piRNA-directed TE methylation without affecting piRNA biogenesis; the other showed TEX15 associates with MILI and phenocopies Mili/Dnmt3c mutants in TE hypomethylation, placing TEX15 at the convergence of both piRNA branches for de novo DNA methylation of transposons.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Reciprocal co-immunoprecipitation of TEX15 with MIWI2 and separately with MILI; piRNA sequencing in Tex15 mutants; bisulfite sequencing for TE methylation; genetic epistasis comparing Tex15, Mili, Miwi2, and Dnmt3c mutant methylation profiles\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"32719317\", \"32381626\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"Whether TEX15 directly recruits DNMT3C or another de novo methyltransferase to target loci is unknown\",\n        \"The two studies disagree on whether TEX15 primarily functions via MILI or MIWI2, and the relative contribution of each branch remains unresolved\",\n        \"How TEX15 coordinates its meiotic recombination role with its piRNA/methylation role during the different developmental stages is unclear\"\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": 2025,\n      \"claim\": \"Extending TEX15 function beyond the germline, transient Tex15 expression in vomeronasal sensory neuron precursors was shown to control receptor repertoire diversity; loss of Tex15 distorted V1R/V2R receptor choice, reduced accessory olfactory bulb activation, and abolished stereotyped intermale aggression, suggesting a role in epigenetic regulation of receptor gene selection.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"Tex15 knockout mouse with VSN receptor RNA profiling, c-Fos mapping of accessory olfactory bulb, and behavioral aggression assays (preprint)\",\n      \"pmids\": [\"41415471\"],\n      \"confidence\": \"Medium\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"Preprint not yet peer-reviewed; independent replication is needed\",\n        \"Whether the VSN phenotype reflects the same DNA methylation mechanism as in the germline is untested\",\n        \"Direct molecular targets of TEX15 in VSN precursors are unidentified\"\n      ]\n    },\n    {\n      \"year\": null,\n      \"claim\": \"The biochemical mechanism by which TEX15 bridges piRNA-loaded Piwi proteins to the de novo DNA methylation machinery, and separately promotes RAD51/DMC1 loading, remains unknown; no enzymatic activity, domain architecture, or structural information has been reported.\",\n      \"evidence\": \"\",\n      \"pmids\": [],\n      \"confidence\": \"High\",\n      \"gaps\": [\n        \"No crystal or cryo-EM structure of TEX15 or any of its domains\",\n        \"No identified enzymatic or catalytic activity\",\n        \"Mechanism coupling piRNA target recognition to DNMT recruitment is entirely open\"\n      ]\n    }\n  ],\n  \"mechanism_profile\": {\n    \"molecular_activity\": [\n      {\"term_id\": \"GO:0060090\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [0, 1, 2]}\n    ],\n    \"localization\": [\n      {\"term_id\": \"GO:0005634\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [1, 2]},\n      {\"term_id\": \"GO:0005694\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [0]}\n    ],\n    \"pathway\": [\n      {\"term_id\": \"R-HSA-73894\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [0]},\n      {\"term_id\": \"R-HSA-4839726\", \"supporting_discovery_ids\": [1, 2]}\n    ],\n    \"complexes\": [],\n    \"partners\": [\n      \"RAD51\",\n      \"DMC1\",\n      \"MILI\",\n      \"MIWI2\"\n    ],\n    \"other_free_text\": []\n  }\n}\n```"}