DT
ScienceMore in Science→
Molecular Ruler: How DICER Slices RNA with Atomic Precision
Researchers at HKUST used cryo-electron microscopy to resolve exactly how the DICER enzyme achieves single-nucleotide cutting precision on microRNA precursors—a discovery with significant implications for RNA therapeutics.
Key Takeaways
- DICER achieves single-nucleotide cutting precision using a molecular ruler mechanism, not sequence recognition
- Cryo-EM structures show DICER's PAZ domain measuring distance from the RNA loop to the cut site
DE
DT Editorial Team··via phys.org