GSBS Student Publications
Title
Drosophila microRNAs are sorted into functionally distinct argonaute complexes after production by dicer-1
GSBS Program
Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
Publication Date
2007-07-27
UMMS Affiliation
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology
Document Type
Article
Disciplines
Biochemistry | Molecular Biology
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) guide distinct classes of RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs) to repress mRNA expression in biological processes ranging from development to antiviral defense. In Drosophila, separate but conceptually similar endonucleolytic pathways produce siRNAs and miRNAs. Here, we show that despite their distinct biogenesis, double-stranded miRNAs and siRNAs participate in a common sorting step that partitions them into Ago1- or Ago2-containing effector complexes. These distinct complexes silence their target RNAs by different mechanisms. miRNA-loaded Ago2-RISC mediates RNAi, but only Ago1 is able to repress an mRNA with central mismatches in its miRNA-binding sites. Conversely, Ago1 cannot mediate RNAi, because it is an inefficient nuclease whose catalytic rate is limited by the dissociation of its reaction products. Thus, the two members of the Drosophila Ago subclade of Argonaute proteins are functionally specialized, but specific small RNA classes are not restricted to associate with Ago1 or Ago2.
DOI of Published Version
10.1016/j.cell.2007.05.056
Source
Cell. 2007 Jul 27;130(2):287-97. Link to article on publisher's site
Journal/Book/Conference Title
Cell
Related Resources
PubMed ID
17662943
Repository Citation
Forstemann K, Horwich MD, Wee L, Tomari Y, Zamore PD. (2007). Drosophila microRNAs are sorted into functionally distinct argonaute complexes after production by dicer-1. GSBS Student Publications. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2007.05.056. Retrieved from https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/gsbs_sp/443
Comments
Co-author Michael Horwich is a student in the MD/PhD program and co-author LiangMeng Wee is a student in the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences (GSBS) at UMass Medical School.