Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026

Identification of Footprints of RNA:Protein Complexes via RNA Immunoprecipitation in Tandem Followed by Sequencing (RIPiT-Seq)
Published on: July 10, 2019
Sorting of small RNAs into Arabidopsis argonaute complexes is directed by the 5' terminal nucleotide
Shijun Mi1, Tao Cai, Yugang Hu
1National Institute of Biological Sciences, No.7 Science Park Road, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Beijing 102206, China.
Abstract:
Argonaute (AGO) proteins recruit small RNAs to form the core of RNAi effector complexes. Arabidopsis encodes ten AGO proteins and a large network of small RNAs. How these small RNAs are sorted into specific AGO complexes remains largely unknown. We have cataloged small RNAs resident in four AGO complexes. We found that AGO2 and AGO4 preferentially recruit small RNAs with a 5' terminal adenosine, whereas AGO1 harbors microRNAs (miRNAs) that favor a 5' terminal uridine. AGO5 predominantly binds small RNAs that initiate with cytosine. Changing the 5' terminal nucleotide of an miRNA predictably redirected it into a different AGO complex and alters its biological activity. These results reveal a role for small RNA sequences in assorting among AGO complexes. This suggests that specialization of AGO complexes might involve remodeling the 5' end-binding pocket to accept certain small RNA sequences, perhaps explaining the evolutionary drive for miRNAs to initiate with uridine.
Related Concept Videos
Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to form...
RNA Interference
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
Nucleic Acid Structure
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...
Nuclear Protein Sorting
Proteins targeted to the nucleus carry nuclear localization signals or NLS recognized by import receptors in the cytosol. Similarly, proteins with nuclear export signals are recognized by export receptors. Import and export receptors are...

