Anti-AGO1

This gene encodes a member of the Argonaute family of proteins which play a role in RNA interference. The encoded protein is highly basic, and contains a PAZ domain and a PIWI domain. It may interact with dicer1 and play a role in short-interfering-RNA-mediated gene silencing. This gene is located on chromosome 1 in a cluster of closely related family members including argonaute 3, and argonaute 4. Protein function: Required for RNA-mediated gene silencing (RNAi). Binds to short RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs) or short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and represses the translation of mRNAs which are complementary to them. Lacks endonuclease activity and does not appear to cleave target mRNAs. Also required for transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) of promoter regions which are complementary to bound short antigene RNAs (agRNAs). [The UniProt Consortium]