Argonautes confront new small RNAs

Faehnle, Christopher R., Joshua-Tor, Leemor (October 2007) Argonautes confront new small RNAs. Current Opinion in Chemical Biology, 11 (5). pp. 569-577. ISSN 1367-5931 (Print)

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Abstract

Argonaute is at the heart of all effector complexes in RNA interference. In the classical RNAi pathway Argonaute functions as the Slicer enzyme that cleaves an mRNA target directed by a complementary siRNA. Two recently described Argonaute protein subfamilies mediate distinct functions in RNAi. The Piwi subfamily functions in the germline through a novel class of small RNAs that are longer than Argonaute-specific siRNAs and miRNAs. Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) carry a 2'-O-methylation on their 3' end and appear to be synthesized by a Piwi Slicer dependent mechanism. Piwi/piRNA complexes in mammals and flies are directly linked to the control of transposable elements during germline development. Amplified RNAi in C. elegans is mediated by secondary siRNAs selectively bound to secondary Argonautes (SAGOs) that belong to a worm-specific Argonaute subfamily (WAGO). Secondary siRNAs are 5' triphosphorylated that may allow specific loading into SAGO complexes that are rate limiting for RNAi in C. elegans. Interestingly, SAGOs lack conserved Slicer amino acid residues and probably act in a Slicer-independent fashion.

Item Type:	Paper
Additional Information:
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Animals Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-2/*physiology Humans RNA Interference RNA, Messenger/metabolism RNA, Small Interfering/*metabolism
Subjects:	bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > Piwi protein bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > RNAi bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > protein structure, function, modification > protein types > argonaute proteins organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > germ cell organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > germ cell organs, tissues, organelles, cell types and functions > cell types and functions > cell types > germ cell bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > miRNA bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > miRNA bioinformatics > genomics and proteomics > genetics & nucleic acid processing > DNA, RNA structure, function, modification > siRNA
CSHL Authors:	Faehnle, Christopher R. Joshua-Tor, Leemor
Communities:	CSHL labs > Joshua-Tor lab CSHL Post Doctoral Fellows
Depositing User:	CSHL Librarian
Date:	8 October 2007
Date Deposited:	15 Nov 2011 17:10
Last Modified:	02 May 2013 13:59
PMCID:	PMC2077831
Related URLs:	Publisher
URI:	https://repository.cshl.edu/id/eprint/23011

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