Protein argonaute-2 (AGO2)

Required for RNA-mediated gene silencing (RNAi) by the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). The'minimal RISC' seems to include AGO2 bound to a short guide RNA like a microRNA (miRNA) or short interfering RNA (siRNA).

These guide RNAs direct RISC to complementary mRNAs which are targets for RISC-mediated gene silencing. The precise mechanism of gene silencing is based upon the degree of complementarity between the miRNA or siRNA and its target.