Required for RNA-mediated gene silencing (RNAi) by the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC). Can also upregulate the translation of specific mRNAs under certain growth conditions. Binds to the AU element of the 3-UTR of the TNF (TNF-alpha) mRNA and upregulates translation under conditions of serum starvation. Also required for transcriptional gene silencing (TGS), in which short RNAs known as antigene RNAs or agRNAs direct the transcriptional repression of complementary promoter regions.
