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- Title
A microRNA in a multiple-turnover RNAi enzyme complex.
- Authors
Hutvágner, György; Zamore, Phillip D
- Abstract
In animals, the double-stranded RNA-specific endonuclease Dicer produces two classes of functionally distinct, tiny RNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). miRNAs regulate mRNA translation, whereas siRNAs direct RNA destruction via the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway. Here we show that, in human cell extracts, the miRNA let-7 naturally enters the RNAi pathway, which suggests that only the degree of complementarity between a miRNA and its RNA target determines its function. Human let-7 is a component of a previously identified, miRNA-containing ribonucleoprotein particle, which we show is an RNAi enzyme complex. Each let-7-containing complex directs multiple rounds of RNA cleavage, which explains the remarkable efficiency of the RNAi pathway in human cells.
- Publication
Science (New York, N.Y.), 2002, Vol 297, Issue 5589, p2056
- ISSN
1095-9203
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1126/science.1073827