A new study by researchers at the Institute for Basic Science’s (IBS) Center for RNA Research in Seoul has revealed crucial insights into the structure and functioning of the Dicer enzyme. Dicer is a critical enzyme involved in the biogenesis of miRNAs and siRNAs, which in turn play a significant role in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. This is one of the many ways in which the body regulates protein production. The research findings shed light on a previously unknown mechanism in the precise cleaving of RNA by the Dicer enzyme, highlighting its importance in gene regulation and RNA processing. The study holds significant implications for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for RNA-related diseases.
Researchers at the Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), have discovered a new mechanism in the precise cleaving of RNA by the Dicer enzyme. Dicer is responsible for cutting double-stranded RNA into smaller functioning pieces, but the specificity of this process has only been partially understood. The study found a deeply conserved cis-acting element called the “GYM motif,” which helps Dicer know precisely where to cut precursor RNA molecules to produce miRNA. This mechanism allows Dicer to override the previously identified mechanism of counting from the ends of pre-miRNA and solves the mystery of how some precision dicings take place.
To determine the importance of the GYM motif, researchers selectively altered it and assessed the modified Dicer enzyme’s ability to process double-stranded RNA. They found that the intact GYM motif was a strong determinant of DICER-mediated processing and improved RNA interference. The findings of this study hold significant implications for the development of novel therapeutic interventions for RNA-related diseases. The study has been published in the journal Nature.
The study also found that a substitution in Dicer enzyme, which is associated with cancer, disrupts the recognition of the GYM motif. This discovery could be very important for future research as some cancers are linked to changes in Dicer levels, and the connection is not currently well understood.
The researchers suggest that their findings reveal an important mechanism of how Dicer recognizes and processes RNA. This new understanding could help in the development of new therapies to regulate RNA-related diseases. The study has significant implications for the future of RNA research and has been published in the journal Nature.
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