| Protein Name | Known Function/Activity | Relationship to RDE-2/MUT-8 | MUT-16 Recruitment Region | Key References |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUT-16 | Core scaffold of Mutator foci; Q/N-rich, intrinsically disordered protein that nucleates Mutator complex assembly and promotes phase-separated condensates required for small-RNA amplification | RDE-2/MUT-8 is recruited to Mutator foci by MUT-16; RDE-2 then links MUT-16 to MUT-7. A defined MUT-16 segment (aa 584-724; within H-I region) binds the RDE-2/MUT-7 module (pqac-00000006, pqac-00000010, pqac-00000015, pqac-00000020) | Not applicable; scaffold itself | (pqac-00000006, pqac-00000015, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000020) |
| MUT-2 / RDE-3 | Nucleotidyltransferase; mutator component required for RNA silencing and transposon control; localizes to Mutator foci | Co-localizes with RDE-2 in Mutator foci; recruited independently of RDE-2 via MUT-16 scaffold, in a branch distinct from the RDE-2→MUT-7 linkage (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000018) | B-C region of MUT-16 (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000017) | (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000018) |
| MUT-7 | 3′-5′ exoribonuclease with MUT7-C domain; essential for RNA silencing and small-RNA production | Direct binding partner of RDE-2/MUT-8: MUT-7 CTD binds MUT-8 CTD, and this interaction recruits MUT-7 to Mutator foci; disrupting the interface causes RNAi resistance (pqac-00000000, pqac-00000010, pqac-00000011, pqac-00000013) | H-I region, indirectly via RDE-2/MUT-8 bridge (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000022) | (pqac-00000000, pqac-00000010, pqac-00000011, pqac-00000016) |
| MUT-8 / RDE-2 | Adaptor/bridging protein in Mutator complex; required for exogenous RNAi, endogenous silencing, transposon repression, fertility, and WAGO-class 22G-RNA accumulation | Central reference protein: bridges MUT-7 to MUT-16 using distinct domains; NTD contacts MUT-16, CTD binds MUT-7 CTD (pqac-00000001, pqac-00000010, pqac-00000015) | H-I region; RDE-2 fails to localize when H-I is deleted (pqac-00000017, pqac-00000022) | (pqac-00000001, pqac-00000010, pqac-00000015, pqac-00000017) |
| MUT-14 | RNA helicase mutator component involved in RNA silencing; localizes to Mutator foci | Co-localizes with RDE-2 in the same perinuclear compartment; recruited in a branch separate from the RDE-2→MUT-7 arm (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000018) | B-C region of MUT-16 (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000017) | (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000018) |
| MUT-15 | Mutator component needed for RNA silencing; also recruits downstream effectors | Co-localizes with RDE-2; recruited independently of RDE-2 by MUT-16 and then helps recruit NYN-1/2 and RDE-8, placing it in a parallel branch to the RDE-2→MUT-7 linkage (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016) | B-C region of MUT-16 (pqac-00000016) | (pqac-00000002, pqac-00000016, pqac-00000018) |
| RRF-1 | RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) that synthesizes secondary WAGO-class 22G-RNAs in Mutator foci | Works in the same amplification compartment as RDE-2; RDE-2 helps organize the Mutator complex that supports RRF-1-dependent 22G-RNA biogenesis, but no direct RDE-2–RRF-1 interaction is established in the cited evidence (pqac-00000027, pqac-00000028, pqac-00000029) | F region of MUT-16 (with partial effects from other regions) (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000017) | (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000027, pqac-00000028, pqac-00000029) |
| RDE-8 | NYN-domain endoribonuclease implicated in small-RNA amplification/silencing | In the same Mutator amplification system as RDE-2, but recruited through the MUT-15 branch rather than through the RDE-2→MUT-7 bridge (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000021) | Indirect via B-C → MUT-15 branch (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000017) | (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000021) |
| NYN-1 / NYN-2 | NYN-domain proteins associated with Mutator foci and small-RNA pathway assembly | Parallel to RDE-2 branch: recruited downstream of MUT-15 rather than through RDE-2, but part of the same amplification compartment (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000021) | Indirect via B-C → MUT-15 branch (pqac-00000016) | (pqac-00000016, pqac-00000021) |
| SMUT-1 | RNA helicase-like mutator component of Mutator foci | Co-recruited to Mutator foci with RDE-2 as part of the broader MUT-16-dependent complex; specific direct interaction with RDE-2 not defined in cited evidence (pqac-00000019, pqac-00000020) | Specific MUT-16 subregion not resolved in the cited excerpts | (pqac-00000019, pqac-00000020) |


*Table: This table summarizes major C. elegans Mutator complex components, emphasizing how RDE-2/MUT-8 fits into assembly of the small-RNA amplification machinery. It is useful for quickly mapping protein function, recruitment logic, and the specific MUT-16 scaffold regions implicated by current evidence.*