DCL2 — Neurospora crassa

Summary

NCU06766, symbol DCL2 (dcl-2) in Neurospora crassa on chromosome 2, encodes a protein with ribonuclease III, helicase, RNA-binding and ATP-binding activities, and contains Dicer dimerisation and RNase III superfamily domains. The gene is associated with siRNA processing and post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), and is linked to antiviral and defense responses, including regulation of antiviral response and immune response. It is also associated with meiosis. The encoded protein localises to both the cytoplasm and nucleus. Studies of related genes in other species, such as Fusarium oxysporum and Verticillium dahliae, further connect the family to antiviral mechanisms, though these associations are not yet established for N. crassa itself.