Dicer recognizes the 5' end of RNA for efficient and accurate processing

A hallmark of RNA silencing is a class of approximately 22-nucleotide RNAs that are processed from double-stranded RNA precursors by Dicer. Accurate processing by Dicer is crucial for the functionality of microRNAs (miRNAs). The current model posits that Dicer selects cleavage sites by measuring a set distance from the 3' overhang of the double-stranded RNA terminus. Here we report that human Dicer anchors not only the 3' end but also the 5' end, with the cleavage site determined mainly by the distance (～22 nucleotides) from the 5' end (5' counting rule). This cleavage requires a 5'-terminal phosphate group. Further, we identify a novel basic motif (5' pocket) in human Dicer that recognizes the 5'-phosphorylated end. The 5' counting rule and the 5' anchoring residues are conserved in Drosophila Dicer-1, but not in Giardia Dicer. Mutations in the 5' pocket reduce processing efficiency and alter cleavage sites in vitro. Consistently, miRNA biogenesis is perturbed in vivo when Dicer-null embryonic stem cells are replenished with the 5'-pocket mutant. Thus, 5'-end recognition by Dicer is important for precise and effective biogenesis of miRNAs. Insights from this study should also afford practical benefits to the design of small hairpin RNAs.     

美洲鲎miRNA的生物信息学挖掘与分析

利用miRBase数据库中已有动物的小RNA（miRNA）,通过生物信息学方法对美洲鲎(Limulus polyphemus)表达序列标签（Expressed Sequences Tag,EST）和cDNA进行序列比对,挖掘美洲鲎miRNA,得到了 72个miRNA前体(pre-miRNA)、49个可编码成熟miRNA,隶属于40个miRNA家族。miRNA家族归类结果表明,无论在低等脊椎动物还是高等动物中,miRNA家族的存在都是相当保守的。以miR-10基因前体为例,分析其序列与其他物种同源序列的差异,显示miRNA序列的高度保守性。miR-10前体序列分析系统进化发现,物种聚类与传统分类亲缘关系一致。     

植物miRNAs前体的生物信息分析

miRNAs前体（pre-miRNAs）是产生成熟miRNAs的基因表达产物，能形成较为稳定的发卡环结构，具有较低的最小折叠自由能（minimal folding free cnergy，MFE）。在对植物pre-miRNAs长度、不同碱基含量、MFE、熵分析基础上，重点比较不同RNAs序列之间MFE与其长度的比值（MFEL）。结果表明MFEL是区分植物pre-miRNAs的一个很有效的参数：pre-miRNAs的MFEL值平均为-45．98kcal／mol，明显低于mRNAs（-23．08kcal／mol），tRNAs（-22．13kcal／mol）和rRNAs（-16．83kcal／mol）。使用MFEL参数可提高预测植物miRNAs基因的效率。     

小鼠着床前胚胎Dicer 1和DGCR 8基因的表达

研究了miRNA生成相关基因Dicer 1和 DGCR 8在小鼠着床前胚胎各发育阶段的表达,探讨其对着床前胚胎发育的作用.建立小鼠超排、交配系统,采集着床前胚胎;采用二步法RT-PcR方法鉴定着床前胚胎Dicer1和DGcR 8表达.结果显示:小鼠卵母细胞及受精后1.5 d、2.5 d、3.5 d和4.5 d着床前胚胎均表达Dicef 1和DGcR 8基因.这是着床前胚胎IlliRNA生成物的重要基因,miRNA及其生物合成相关基因可能对着床前胚胎发育起重要作用.     

Structure and nucleic-acid binding of the Drosophila Argonaute 2 PAZ domain

RNA interference is a conserved mechanism that regulates gene expression in response to the presence of double-stranded (ds)RNAs. The RNase III-like enzyme Dicer first cleaves dsRNA into 21-23-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). In the effector step, the multimeric RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC) identifies messenger RNAs homologous to the siRNAs and promotes their degradation. The Argonaute 2 protein (Ago2) is a critical component of RISC. Both Argonaute and Dicer family proteins contain a common PAZ domain whose function is unknown. Here we present the three-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance structure of the Drosophila melanogaster Ago2 PAZ domain. This domain adopts a nucleic-acid-binding fold that is stabilized by conserved hydrophobic residues. The nucleic-acid-binding patch is located in a cleft between the surface of a central beta-barrel and a conserved module comprising strands beta3, beta4 and helix alpha3. Because critical structural residues and the binding surface are conserved, we suggest that PAZ domains in all members of the Argonaute and Dicer families adopt a similar fold with nucleic-acid binding function, and that this plays an important part in gene silencing.     

microRNA对肿瘤细胞增殖与分化的调控

microRNA(miRNA)是一种长度约为22核苷酸(nt)的非编码RNA,其主要通过碱基互补与靶mRNA的3'端非翻译区(3'UTR)结合,导致靶mRNA降解或抑制蛋白质的合成,在转录后水平调节基因的表达.miRNA突变、缺失或表达水平的异常会导致生理的异常与疾病的发生,与人类肿瘤疾病密切相关,它具有类似于癌基因或抑癌基因的作用,可参与肿瘤细胞的增殖、分化和细胞凋亡等调控过程.miRNA在肿瘤诊断和治疗方面具有广阔的应用前景.     

基于MiRfilter系统的毛果杨miRNA预测

从参数训练、参数范围训练、候选成熟体打分等方面改进miRNA预测系统MiRfilter,使其适应拥有更长前体的植物miRNA的预测.预测毛果杨基因组上的miRNA,并对系统进行精度检验.利用MiRfilter系统共预测出3 860条候选miRNA;在110个正样本中,正确识别91条前体和80条成熟体,前体预测精度为82.73%,成熟体预测精度为72.73%;在毛果杨第4号染色体（LG_Ⅳ）上得到的1 968个负样本中,有12个数据可认为是miRNA,假阳性率为0.61%.     

大豆降解组文库microRNAs的启动子分析

研究目的：创新要点：通过分析miRNA的核心启动子和顺式作用元件为进一步解析大豆（Glycinemax）miRNAs表达调控及其功能研究提供重要信息。利用生物信息学方法全面解析了大豆降解组文库miRNA的启动子特征,并依据顺式作用元件及靶基因构建了miRNA的表达与生长素响应因子、赤霉素响应因子之问存在潜在的负反馈调控网络。研究方法：本研究利用TSSP程序和PlantCARE数据库预测了来自大豆降解组文库的440个miRNA的核心启动子以及369个miRNAs的顺式作用元件,并依据顺式作用元件及靶基因构建miRNA调控网络。重要结论：83．86％的miRNA在其上游序列中含有启动子,8．64％的miRNA在其下游序列中含有启动子,21．59％的miRNA包含增强子。核心启动子的TATA盒与转录起始位点（TSSs）的分布相似（见图2）。此外,对转录起始位点5’端的顺式作用元件预测为miRNAs的可能功能和表达的时空性提供了线索。miRNAs的顺式作用元件和靶基因的分析显示,部分miRNA的表达与生长素响应因子、赤霉素响应因子之间存在潜在的负反馈调控（见图3）。