Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10768708 | Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications | 2005 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
The Dicer enzyme is a key component of the RNA interference pathway and also responsible for the processing of micro RNAs, non-coding RNA molecules which regulate the activity of mRNAs by antisense base pairing. Little is known about the structure and regulation of human Dicer mRNA. A comprehensive characterization of Dicer 5â²-untranslated region (5â²-UTR) RNA structure revealed important diversity within human Dicer mRNA transcripts. Three exon 1 variants were defined, some of which exhibited very restricted patterns of tissue distribution. A number of alternatively spliced 5â²-leader exons were also noted, revealing the potential for complex post-transcriptional regulation. Surprisingly, this diversity all occurred within the 5â²-UTR of Dicer mRNAs and did not affect the coding region. The Dicer mRNA 5â²-UTR variants had profound effects on translational efficiency both in vitro and in transiently transfected cells. A number of major Dicer RNA species are inefficient substrates for the translational machinery.
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Authors
Sundeep Singh, Sian C. Bevan, Kedar Patil, Derek C. Newton, Philip A. Marsden,