Jen Quick-Cleveland from Dr. Feng Guo’s lab publishes “The DGCR8 RNA-Binding Heme Domain Recognizes Primary MicroRNAs by Clamping the Hairpin” in Cell Reports. The article describes recognition of microRNA primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs) by the processing machinery is essential for production and biological functions of canonical microRNAs, for evolution of new microRNA genes, and for RNAi applications based on artificial pri-miRNAs. The Guo lab reports that a previously unsuspected heme-binding domain specifically targets key structural features of a pri-miRNA located at both ends of the hairpin helix. Their study demonstrates how extensive pri-miRNA features may be recognized by processing proteins along with a universal biological cofactor.
(From left to right: Sara Weiz, Grant Shoffner, Dr. Feng Guo, Jena Quick-Cleveland, and Jose Jacob)