Revealing the prokaryotic origins of eukaryotic RNA silencing pathways

After RNA transcription several processes take place that regulate the amount of RNA in the cell. An essential mechanism for regulation of RNA levels in insects, plants, animals, and humans, is RNA interference (RNAi), a complex process in which Argonaute proteins utilize small ‘guide’ RNAs to recognize and degrade target RNA molecules. How such complex processes evolved is largely unknown. In this project we will characterize newly identified Argonaute proteins that facilitate RNA interference in prokaryotes (bacteria/archaea). This will provide insights into how RNAi processes have evolved and will contribute to understanding these processes in other organisms.