RNAi: Finding the elusive endonuclease

Abstract

RNA interference involves endonucleolytic cleavage of mRNAs at a site determined by complementary siRNAs. Initial cleavage leads to rapid degradation of the message, resulting in a corresponding reduction in the level of the encoded protein. Despite intensive study, the identity of the endonucleolytic activity (designated slicer) has remained obscure. Now, a combination of structural and biochemical analyses provide compelling evidence that human Argonaute2 (Ago2), a protein already known to be a key player in the RNAi pathway, is in fact the missing endonuclease.