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Studying Protein Function and the Role of Altered Protein Expression by Antibody Interference and Three-dimensional Reconstructions
Published on: April 21, 2016
DNA interference and beyond: structure and functions of prokaryotic Argonaute proteins
Lidiya Lisitskaya1, Alexei A Aravin2,3, Andrey Kulbachinskiy4
1Institute of Molecular Genetics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 123182, Russia.
Abstract:
Recognition and repression of RNA targets by Argonaute proteins guided by small RNAs is the essence of RNA interference in eukaryotes. Argonaute proteins with diverse structures are also found in many bacterial and archaeal genomes. Recent studies revealed that, similarly to their eukaryotic counterparts, prokaryotic Argonautes (pAgos) may function in cell defense against foreign genetic elements but, in contrast, preferably act on DNA targets. Many crucial details of the pAgo action, and the roles of a plethora of pAgos with non-conventional architecture remain unknown. Here, we review available structural and biochemical data on pAgos and discuss their possible functions in host defense and other genetic processes in prokaryotic cells.
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