Small non-coding RNAs, through association with Argonaute protein family members, have
a variety of functions during the development of an organism. Although there is increased …

As central components of RNA silencing, small RNAs play diverse and important roles in
many biological processes in eukaryotes. Aberrant reduction or elevation in the levels of …

In Drosophila, PIWI proteins and bound PIWI‐interacting RNAs (piRNAs) form the core of a
small RNA‐mediated defense system against selfish genetic elements. Within germline …

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of genome-encoded small RNAs that are primarily
considered to be post-transcriptional negative regulators of gene expression acting in the …

In plants, DNA methylation can be mediated by a class of Argonaute4 (AGO4)-associated
heterochromatic siRNAs (hc-siRNAs), through a pathway termed RNA-directed DNA …

The germline genome of the binucleated ciliate Tetrahymena thermophila undergoes
programmed chromosome breakage and massive DNA elimination to generate the somatic …

RNA interference (RNAi), a cellular process through which small RNAs target and regulate
complementary RNA transcripts, has well-characterized roles in post-transcriptional gene …

Genome stability is a crucial feature of eukaryotic organisms because its alteration
drastically affects the normal development and survival of cells and the organism as a …

Argonaute proteins (AGOs) are essential effectors in RNA-mediated gene silencing
pathways. They are characterized by a bilobal architecture, in which one lobe contains the N …

Emerging evidence suggests that Argonaute (Ago)/Piwi proteins have diverse functions in
the nucleus and cytoplasm, but the molecular mechanisms employed in the nucleus remain …