Protein argonaute-4 (AGO4) Antibody (HRP)

Background

AGO4 is another member of the Argonaute family, sharing structural similarities with AGO1, AGO2, and AGO3, including the PAZ and PIWI domains, but it is also catalytically inactive, lacking slicer activity. AGO4 functions predominantly in miRNA-mediated gene regulation, contributing to translational repression of target mRNAs in the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). It is expressed in various tissues but at lower levels compared to AGO2. While AGO4 plays a supportive role in gene silencing, its biological significance is less well understood compared to other Argonaute proteins. Emerging evidence suggests that AGO4 might have specialized roles in stress responses and immune regulation, with its dysregulation potentially linked to aberrant miRNA function in diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders, although more research is needed to fully elucidate its functions.