Project description:Dicer plays a key role in small RNA biogenesis by processing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). Human DICER (hDICER) is specialized in processing of small hairpins such as pre-microRNAs (pre-miRNAs) with a limited activity towards long dsRNAs, unlike its homologs in lower eukaryotes and plants which cleave long dsRNAs. While the mechanism of long dsRNA cleavage has been well documented, our understanding of pre-miRNA processing is limited due to lack of the structure of hDICER in a catalytic state. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of hDICER bound to pre-miRNA in a dicing state, uncovering the structural basis for pre-miRNA processing.
Project description:Dicer plays a key role in small RNA biogenesis by processing double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs). Human DICER (hDICER) is specialized in processing of small hairpins such as pre-microRNAs (pre-miRNAs) with a limited activity towards long dsRNAs, unlike its homologs in lower eukaryotes and plants which cleave long dsRNAs. While the mechanism of long dsRNA cleavage has been well documented, our understanding of pre-miRNA processing is limited due to lack of the structure of hDICER in a catalytic state. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of hDICER bound to pre-miRNA in a dicing state, uncovering the structural basis for pre-miRNA processing.
Project description:In eukaryotes, small RNAs (sRNAs) play critical roles in multiple biological processes. Dicer endonucleases are a central part of sRNA biogenesis. In plants, DICER-LIKE PROTEIN 3 (DCL3) produces 24-nucleotide (nt) small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that determine the specificity of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway. Here, we determined the structure of a DCL3–pre-siRNA complex in an active dicing-competent state. The 5′-phosphorylated A1 of the guide strand and the 1-nt 3′ overhang of the complementary strand are specifically recognized by a positively charged pocket and an aromatic cap, respectively. The 24-nt siRNA length dependence relies on the separation between the 5′-phosphorylated end of the guide RNA and dual cleavage sites formed by the paired ribonuclease III domains. These structural studies, complemented by functional data, provide insight into the dicing principle for Dicers in general.
Project description:Gene expression dictates fundamental cellular processes and its de-regulation leads to pathological conditions. A key contributor to the fine-tuning of gene expression is Dicer, an RNA-binding protein (RBPs) that forms complexes and affects transcription by acting at the post-transcriptional level via the targeting of mRNAs by Dicer-produced small non-coding RNAs. This review aims to present the contribution of Dicer protein in a wide spectrum of human pathological conditions, including cancer, neurological, autoimmune, reproductive and cardiovascular diseases, as well as viral infections. Germline mutations of Dicer have been linked to Dicer1 syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that predisposes to the development of both benign and malignant tumors, but the exact correlation of Dicer protein expression within the different cancer types is unclear, and there are contradictions in the data. Downregulation of Dicer is related to Geographic atrophy (GA), a severe eye-disease that is a leading cause of blindness in industrialized countries, as well as to psychiatric and neurological diseases such as depression and Parkinson's disease, respectively. Both loss and upregulation of Dicer protein expression is implicated in severe autoimmune disorders, including psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and autoimmune thyroid diseases. Loss of Dicer contributes to cardiovascular diseases and causes defective germ cell differentiation and reproductive system abnormalities in both sexes. Dicer can also act as a strong antiviral with a crucial role in RNA-based antiviral immunity. In conclusion, Dicer is an essential enzyme for the maintenance of physiology due to its pivotal role in several cellular processes, and its loss or aberrant expression contributes to the development of severe human diseases. Further exploitation is required for the development of novel, more effective Dicer-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, with the goal of new clinical benefits and better quality of life for patients.
Project description:In Drosophila, Dicer-1 binds Loquacious-PB (Loqs-PB) as its major co-factor. Previous analyses indicated that loqs mutants only partially impede miRNA processing, but the activity of minor isoforms or maternally deposited Loqs was not eliminated in these studies. We addressed this by generating a cell line from loqs-null embryos and found that only ∼40% of miRNAs showed clear Loqs dependence. Genome-wide comparison of the hairpin structure and Loqs dependence suggested that Loqs substrates are influenced by base-pairing status at the dicing site. Artificial alteration of base-pairing stability at this position in model miRNA hairpins resulted in predicted changes in Loqs dependence, providing evidence for this hypothesis. Finally, we found that evolutionarily young miRNA genes tended to be Loqs dependent. We propose that Loqs may have roles in assisting the de novo emergence of miRNA genes by facilitating dicing of suboptimal hairpin substrates.
