Dynamic control of Argonautes by a rapidly evolving immunological switch.

ABSTRACT: Small RNAs (sRNAs), coupled with Argonaute proteins (AGOs), regulate diverse biological processes, including immunity against nucleic acid parasites. C. elegans possesses an expanded repertoire of at least 19 AGOs functioning in an intricate gene regulatory network (GRN). However, the regulation of AGOs and how their functions adapt to genetic or environmental perturbations remains incompletely understood. Here, we report that PALS-22, a member of an unusually expanded protein family in C. elegans, acts as a negative regulator of antiviral RNAi involving the RIG-I homolog. Loss of pals-22 enhances the silencing of transgenes and endogenous double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). We found that PALS-22 normally suppresses the expression of two AGOs, VSRA-1 and SAGO-2, which are activated by the bZIP

SUBMITTER: Ewe CK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12401492 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature