AGO1

AGO1 (Argonaute-1) is a key protein in the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. As a core component of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), it binds to small non-coding RNAs like microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Unlike its close relative AGO2, AGO1 lacks the slicer activity to cleave target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Instead, its primary function is to guide RISC to target mRNAs, leading to translational repression and subsequent mRNA degradation. This makes AGO1 crucial for gene silencing and the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.