Answer :
Final answer:
A mutation in the ago2 gene resulting in a non-functional AGO2 enzyme would disrupt the RNA interference pathway, leading to the continued expression of specific genes that should be silenced, potentially causing harmful cellular effects.
Explanation:
In RNA interference (RNAi), the Argonaute 2 (AGO2) enzyme plays a crucial role in slicing target messenger RNA (mRNA) molecules that have been bound by short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). If a mutation in the ago2 gene hinders the formation of a functional AGO2 enzyme, the outcome would likely be a disruption in the RNAi pathway.
This disruption could lead to a failure in the degradation of target mRNA molecules, which in turn would prevent the downregulation of specific gene expression that is normally mediated by RNAi.
This could result in the continuous production of proteins that should be regulated or silenced, potentially causing harmful effects to the cell. For example, if the target mRNA is involved in proliferative signaling pathways, its unchecked expression could lead to uncontrolled cell division and contribute to oncogenesis.
