Long long Ago: Functions and mechanisms ofLong-A prokaryotic Argonautes

Summary

The thesis Long long Ago focuses on a group of proteins called Argonautes (Ago), which help organisms defend themselves against genetic invaders like viruses. These proteins exist in almost all life forms, but many questions remained about how they function in bacteria. I studied a specific type of long Argonaute protein (long Ago) that uses DNA guides to find and destroy foreign DNA. I explored how these proteins select their guides, how they become active, and how they might work together with other parts of the bacterial immune system and DNA repair machinery. This research deepens our understanding of how bacteria protect themselves and may one day contribute to new tools in biotechnology or medicine.