title: Dicer-derived microRNAs are utilized by the fragile X mental retardation protein for assembly on target RNAs.
abstract: In mammalian cells, fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) has been reported to be part of a microRNA (miRNA)-containing effector ribonucleoprotien (RNP) complex believed to mediate translational control of specific mRNAs. Here, using recombinant proteins, we demonstrate that human FMRP can act as a miRNA acceptor protein for the ribonuclease Dicer and facilitate the assembly of miRNAs on specific target RNA sequences. The miRNA assembler property of FMRP was abrogated upon deletion of its single-stranded (ss) RNA binding K-homology domains. The requirement of FMRP for efficient RNA interference (RNAi) in vivo was unveiled by reporter gene silencing assays using various small RNA inducers, which also supports its involvement in an ss small interfering RNA (siRNA)-containing RNP (siRNP) effector complex in mammalian cells. Our results define a possible role for FMRP in RNA silencing and may provide further insight into the molecular defects in patients with the fragile X syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Rhumatologie et Immunologie, Centre de Recherche du CHUL-CHUQ, Sainte-Foy, QC, Canada.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Plante
authors.forename: Laetitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidovic
authors.forename: Dominique L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ouellet
authors.forename: Lise-Andrée
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gobeil
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tremblay
authors.forename: Edouard W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Khandjian
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Provost