Merck, MABE253, Anti-Ago2 Antibody, clone 11A9

Ago2 (argonaute-2), also known as eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2C (EIF2C2), is an essential component for siRNA-directed RNA interference (RNAi) response. Ago2 is an endonuclease required for the unwinding of siRNA duplex and assembly of siRNA into RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISC). Ago2 interacts with DICER1 through its Piwi domain. This Piwi domain is thought to provide RNA cleavage activity via a mechanism similar to RNase H. Ago2 activity is necessary for embryonic development as well as RNA-mediated gene silencing (RNAi).