RNASET2

Ribonuclease that plays an essential role in innate immune response by recognizing and degrading RNAs from microbial pathogens that are subsequently sensed by TLR8. Cleaves preferentially single-stranded RNA molecules between purine and uridine residues, which critically contributes to the supply of catabolic uridine and the generation of purine-2',3'-cyclophosphate-terminated oligoribonucleotides. In turn, RNase T2 degradation products promote the RNA-dependent activation of TLR8. In plasmacytoid dendritic cells, it cooperates with PLD3 or PLD4 5'->3' exonucleases to process RNA fragments and release 2',3'-cyclic guanosine monophosphate (2',3'-cGMP), a potent stimulatory ligand for TLR7. Also plays a key role in degradation of mitochondrial RNA and processing of non-coding RNA imported from the cytosol into mitochondria. Participates as well in degradation of mitochondrion-associated cytosolic rRNAs..

Function from UniProtKB (O00584), read 2026-09-23. CC BY 4.0.