title: The agotrons: Gene regulators or Argonaute protectors?
abstract: Over the last decades, it has become evident that highly complex networks of regulators govern post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. A novel class of Argonaute (Ago)-associated RNA molecules, the agotrons, was recently shown to function in a Drosha- and Dicer-independent manner, hence bypassing the maturation steps required for canonical microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. Agotrons are found in most mammals and associate with Ago as ∼100 nucleotide (nt) long RNA species. Here, we speculate on the functional and biological relevance of agotrons: (i) agotrons could serve as non-promiscuous miRNA-like regulators with reduced off-targeting or (ii) agotrons could encompass other putative functions, such as protecting Ago proteins from taking up aberrant short RNAs or by rescuing and stabilizing otherwise unloaded Ago-proteins from degradation. Collectively, agotrons have emerged as a novel class of interesting non-coding RNA molecules, but their full functional potential and biological impact still remain to be disclosed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG), and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Lotte V W
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Stagsted
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG), and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Iben
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Daugaard
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (MBG), and Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: Thomas B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hansen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060565:Argonaute Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated
chemical_list: D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D058727:RNA, Small Untranslated
keywords: Argonaute; agotrons; gene regulation; miRNA; non-coding RNA; small RNA