{
  "abstract": "Argonaute proteins are best known as cytoplasmic effectors of small-RNA-mediated gene silencing, although their compartment-specific functions remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify a previously unrecognized nucleolar role for Drosophila Argonaute 1 (AGO1). We observed stress-induced redistribution of AGO1 into cytoplasmic and nuclear ribonucleoprotein assemblies, whereas a distinct AGO1 pool consistently localized to Fibrillarin-positive nucleoli. Co-immunoprecipitation further showed that AGO1 associates with Fibrillarin-containing complexes in vivo. Re-analysis of AGO1-associated small-RNA sequencing data revealed snoRNAs, particularly C/D box snoRNAs, among AGO1-bound RNA species and increased snoRNA representation following AGO1 overexpression. Structural modelling demonstrated that simultaneous molecular interaction of AGO1 and the Fibrillarin-containing snoRNP machinery with the same snoRNA is stereochemically feasible, providing a structural framework for their potential association within a nucleolar snoRNP assembly. Functionally, AGO1 depletion reduced pre-rRNA levels and decreased both nucleolar and cell size in the follicular epithelium. Depletion of Dicer-1 did not reproduce these growth defects, arguing against a general consequence of impaired miRNA biogenesis. Together, these findings identify AGO1 as a nucleolar regulator that associates with snoRNP machinery and links small-RNA biology to pre-rRNA homeostasis and cell growth.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Hannover Medical School"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 10,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "R. Hebalkar"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Schumann"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Yatsenko"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. J. Loureiro"
    },
    {
      "name": "K. Gresova"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Guenzel"
    },
    {
      "name": "P. Alexiou"
    },
    {
      "name": "M. Seiler"
    },
    {
      "name": "J. M. Bujnicki"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "H. R. Shcherbata"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fzxpmmtgwy5pc.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.19.759891",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.759891v1.full",
  "id": "fzxpmmtgwy5pc",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.759891v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cell biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|RNA Interference and Gene Delivery"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7223071316",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.759891v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-19",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fzxpmmtgwy5pc.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:28:44Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.19.759891",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.19.759891v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Argonaute 1 associates with nucleolar snoRNP machinery and regulates pre-rRNA levels and cell growth",
  "title_text": "Argonaute 1 associates with nucleolar snoRNP machinery and regulates pre-rRNA levels and cell growth",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:28:44Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fzxpmmtgwy5pc",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}