Prokaryotic Argonautes defend genomes against invasive DNA.
Argonaute proteins are central players in small RNA-mediated silencing mechanisms such as RNA interference (RNAi), microRNA repression and piRNA-mediated transposon silencing. In eukaryotes, Argonautes bind small RNAs that guide them to RNA targets in order to regulate gene expression and repress invasive genomic elements. Although Argonaute proteins are conserved in all life forms from bacteria to eukaryotes, until now studies have focused on the biological functions of eukaryotic Argonautes. Here we highlight two recent studies that discover the functions of prokaryotic Argonautes in defence against exogenous DNA.
California Institute of Technology Division of Biology, 147-75 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
Junho K
JK
Hur
California Institute of Technology Division of Biology, 147-75 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA; Institute of Molecular Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Kurchatov Sq. 2, Moscow 123182, Russia.
Ivan
I
Olovnikov
California Institute of Technology Division of Biology, 147-75 1200 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91125, USA. Electronic address: aaa@caltech.edu.
Alexei A
AA
Aravin
D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D004247:DNA / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D011387:Prokaryotic Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D034622:RNA Interference
D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D004247:DNA