Mature miRNAs regulate development and tissue differentiation through their role in the RNA silencing pathway. However, little is known about the maturation process of primary microRNAs (pri-miRNAs) at the atomic level or the role their secondary structures play in recognition by the Microprocessor complex. Structural analysis of pri-miRNAs reveals a nearly A-form helical geometry for the majority of the pri-miRNA stem, despite the prevalence of imperfections (e.g., non-Watson-Crick basepairs, bulges, internal loops) predicted in their secondary structures. Therefore, we aim to understand the intrinsic affinity of the primary binding partner of the Microprocessor, DGCR8, for A-form RNA duplex and the extent to which local perturbations modify this affinity. Moreover, our results will be discussed in the context of cut-site identification models widely hypothesized in the literature.

RNA recognition and binding by the Microprocessor

246th National Meeting (2013)

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