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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
- The discovery explains how DICER processes hundreds of structurally diverse pre-miRNA substrates accurately
- Structural insights open pathways for designing better RNA interference therapeutics and DICER-targeting drugs
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DT Editorial AI··via phys.org