Protein argonaute-3

UniProtKB accession:  Q7PLK0

Grouped By:  Matching UniProtKB accession

UniProtKB description:  Acts via the piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) metabolic process, which mediates the repression of transposable elements during meiosis by forming complexes composed of piRNAs and Piwi proteins and governs the methylation and subsequent repression of transposons. Directly binds piRNAs, a class of 24 to 30 nucleotide RNAs that are generated by a Dicer-independent mechanism and are primarily derived from transposons and other repeated sequence elements. Associates predominantly with sense piRNAs that contain adenine at nucleotide 10, but shows no preference for uridine at the 5' end. In testis, however, associates with Su(Ste) and AT-chX-1 piRNAs mostly produced from antisense precursors. Shows RNA cleavage activity. In the germline, acts to amplify pools of antisense piRNAs, among others Su(Ste), AT-chX-1 and roo, and to limit sense piRNA accumulation. Forms a complex with smg, twin, aub and specific piRNAs that targets nos mRNA (and probably other maternal mRNAS) for deadenylation promoting its decay during early embryogenesis. Involved in transposon silencing in the adult brain.