How DICER cuts microRNAs with single-nucleotide precision
Why it matters: Understanding DICER's precision offers new avenues for treating cancer, immune disorders, and genetic diseases.
- HKUST research team, led by Prof. Tuan Anh Nguyen, uncovered the precise molecular mechanism of DICER's microRNA cleavage.
- DICER acts as 'molecular scissors,' cleaving double-stranded RNA precursors into regulatory RNAs that suppress incorrect genetic messages.
- Cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) allowed the team to visualize DICER–RNA interactions at an atomic level, revealing dynamic adjustments and specific 5′-end binding pockets (both U-favored and a newly identified G-favored) that govern cleavage fidelity.
Researchers at HKUST have unveiled how the human enzyme DICER precisely cleaves microRNAs, a crucial step in gene regulation. Their atomic-level visualization reveals a dual-pocket mechanism that guides RNA substrates into exact alignment, ensuring single-nucleotide cleavage accuracy.
