The Many Faces of RNAi

Small non-coding RNAs, through association with Argonaute protein family members, have a variety of functions during the development of an organism. Although there is increased mechanistic understanding of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathways surrounding these small RNAs, how their effects are modulated by subcellular compartmentalization and cross-pathway functional interactions is only beginning to be explored. This review examines the current understanding of these aspects of RNAi pathways and the biological functions of these pathways.