title: Rethinking the microprocessor.
abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are tiny regulators of gene expression that are processed from longer primary transcripts. In this issue, Han et al. (2006) report some of the structural features of the primary transcript that ensure that the Drosha-DGCR8 enzyme complex liberates precisely the correct precursor sequence, enabling production of a fully functional miRNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01532, USA.
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Phillip D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Zamore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008958:Models, Molecular; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012322:RNA Precursors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D043244:Ribonuclease III / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C474043:DGCR8 protein, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009711:Nucleotides; D011506:Proteins; D012322:RNA Precursors; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C517918:DROSHA protein, human; D043244:Ribonuclease III