Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
David Zapletal, Karel Kubicek, Petr Svoboda, Richard Stefl
Summary: RNase III Dicer plays important biological roles in eukaryotes by generating small RNAs for sequence-specific regulations. RNA interference (RNAi) and microRNA (miRNA) pathways are the major Dicer-dependent mechanisms, which produce distinct types of small RNAs. Structural analyses of animal and plant Dicers have revealed the contributions of different domains to substrate recognition and cleavage, highlighting the ancestral role of siRNA generation and the derived features of miRNA biogenesis. The functional divergence is mainly attributed to a RIG-I-like helicase domain, while the dsRNA-binding domain showcases the impressive functional versatility in Dicer-mediated small RNA biogenesis.
Article
Cell Biology
Manish Pandey, Arthur Luhur, Nicholas S. S. Sokol, Geetanjali Chawla
Summary: This study investigated the impact of position, order, stem-base, and terminal loop sequences on the differential processing of miRNAs in clustered microRNAs. The results highlighted the importance of structural attributes in regulating the expression of polycistronic miRNAs and provided specific guidelines for achieving differential expression within a cluster.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Anton Zhiyanov, Stepan Nersisyan, Alexander Tonevitsky
Summary: MiRNA isoforms (isomiRs) are single-stranded small RNAs produced from the same pri-miRNA hairpin through cleavage by Drosha and Dicer enzymes. Analysis of miRNA processing positions across 31 different cancers revealed that the positions are not tissue-specific and a model based on surrounding nucleotides can distinguish between homogeneous and heterogeneous cleavage. Additionally, some miRNAs show imprecise Dicer cleavage at the 5' end, while almost all cleavage sites at the 3' end are heterogeneous.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kotaro Nakanishi
Summary: The biosynthesis pathways of microRNAs have been well characterized, with small RNAs shorter than 19 nt also binding to AGO proteins and regulating mRNA expression post-transcriptionally.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR BIOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Virology
Nathalie Garnier, Famara Sane, Layal Massara, Fabrice Soncin, Philippe Gosset, Didier Hober, Sabine Szunerits, Ilka Engelmann
Summary: miRNAs, small non-coding RNAs, play a role in regulating gene expression and may serve as potential biomarkers for predicting outcomes in severe COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the expression of genes involved in miRNA biogenesis.
Article
Neurosciences
Iveta Herichova, Barbora Tesakova, Lucia Krskova, Lucia Olexova
Summary: This study focuses on how the peripheral circadian oscillator in the prefrontal cortex contributes to food reward-induced activity. It was found that animals with access to a food reward showed more accurate phase shifts in response to a new light cycle, along with rhythmic expression of dopamine receptors in the PFC. The involvement of miR-34a-5p in reward-facilitated synchronisation, particularly in its mature form, was also suggested by the findings.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Franziska Drews, Sivarajan Karunanithi, Ulrike Gotz, Simone Marker, Raphael deWijn, Marcello Pirritano, Angela M. Rodrigues-Viana, Martin Jung, Gilles Gasparoni, Marcel H. Schulz, Martin Simon
Summary: Most sRNA biogenesis mechanisms involve RNAse III cleavage or ping-pong amplification by Piwi proteins, but the transgene-induced silencing mechanism in Paramecium requires both Dicer activity and two Ptiwi proteins. The study reveals unique sub-cellular localizations and preferences of Ptiwis for primary and secondary siRNAs, shedding light on their functions in diverse silencing pathways.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kijun Kim, S. Chan Baek, Young-Yoon Lee, Carolien Bastiaanssen, Jeesoo Kim, Haedong Kim, V. Narry Kim
Summary: Only 758 pri-miRNAs are confidently processed by DROSHA, while the majority may be non-canonical or false entries. Analyses of the DROSHA-dependent pri-miRNAs show key cis-elements for processing, and widespread alternative processing and unproductive cleavage events were observed.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yingzi Cui, Xuehui Lyu, Li Ding, Lan Ke, Dechang Yang, Mehdi Pirouz, Ye Qi, Jennie Ong, Ge Gao, Peng Du, Richard Gregory
Summary: microRNAs play essential roles in embryonic development, with dysregulation potentially leading to cancer. Alterations in global miRNA abundance can affect lipid metabolic pathways. Imbalance in the Microprocessor protein complex can reduce miRNA processing and interfere with embryonic development.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ana Clara Lagazzi Cressoni, Leticia B. C. Penariol, Cristiana Carolina Padovan, Maristela D. Orellana, Julio Cesar Rosa-e-Silva, Omero Benedicto Poli-Neto, Rui Alberto Ferriani, Claudia Cristina Paro de Paz, Juliana Meola
Summary: Menstrual blood mesenchymal stem cells (MenSCs) are a noninvasive source with potential clinical applications in regenerative medicine. In endometriotic MenSCs, miRNAs are involved in regulating important cellular processes. However, the miRNA biogenesis pathway in endometriotic MenSCs has not been studied.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruby Srivastava
Summary: New biochemical screening and design-based technology are used to identify small molecules targeting RNA, developing potential drug-like small molecules for RNA-targeted therapeutics. Chemical Reactivity Theory (CRT) is utilized to study the reactivity of drug-like, biologically active small molecules targeting RNA. The results show that high stability and low reactivity can be indicated by high aromaticity and hardness, and some complexes can be used as fluorescent biomarkers.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Karen Gu, Carina Walpole, Shayarana Gooneratne, Xin Liu, Oscar L. Haigh, Kristen J. Radford, Mark Mw Chong
Summary: DROSHA plays a miRNA-independent critical function in human HSCs by directly recognizing and degrading mRNAs, with the degradation of MYL9 mRNA alone not being essential for human HSC function.
CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xavier Bofill-De Ros, Zhenyi Hong, Ben Birkenfeld, Sarangelica Alamo-Ortiz, Acong Yang, Lisheng Dai, Shuo Gu
Summary: The flexibility of pri-miRNA structure impacts the accuracy of Drosha cleavage, leading to the production of 5' isomiRs. Analysis of patient data reveals that alternative Drosha cleavage of pri-miRNAs can be regulated by pri-miRNA-associated RNA-binding proteins, providing a potential mechanism for 5' isomiR biogenesis in tumors.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoxiao Zhang, Peng Li, Huanhuan Zhong, Fanming Yang, Fanzhou Liu, Gabriel Yedid, Yan Zeng
Summary: Proteins involved in RNA metabolism possess a double-stranded RNA-binding domain (dsRBD), with variations in sequences and functions. A study showed that a short insertion in the dsRBD of Drosha is important for its function, and extending the L1 region in other dsRBDs reduces RNA binding. This highlights the sensitivity of dsRBDs to perturbations in the L1 region and adds to the understanding of their structural and functional diversity.
ACTA BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA SINICA
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Gulhan Duman, Baris Sariakcali, Serpil Ersan, Sevtap Bakir
Summary: This study found that the levels of three markers, Drosha, Exportin-5 (XPO5), and Dicer, were significantly higher in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) compared to healthy controls. Therefore, they may be used for early diagnosis of PCOS patients before the disease fully develops.
ENDOKRYNOLOGIA POLSKA
(2022)
Article
Cell & Tissue Engineering
Song-Yi Choi, Eun-Chong Han, Su-Hyung Hong, Tae-Geon Kwon, Youngkyun Lee, Heon-Jin Lee
TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A
(2019)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heon-Jin Lee
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2019)
Article
Oncology
Jinkyung Kim, Sung-Min Kang, Su Young Oh, Heon-Jin Lee, Inhan Lee, Jae-Chan Hwang, Su-Hyung Hong
Article
Oncology
So-Young Choi, Su Young Oh, Soo Hyun Kang, Sung-Min Kang, Jinkyung Kim, Heon-Jin Lee, Tae-Geon Kwon, Jin-Wook Kim, Su-Hyung Hong
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eun-Chong Han, Song-Yi Choi, Youngkyun Lee, Jin-Woo Park, Su-Hyung Hong, Heon-Jin Lee
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Yong-Gun Kim, Myoung Ok Kim, Sung-Hyun Kim, Hyo Jeong Kim, Nitin Kumar Pokhrel, Ji Hye Lee, Heon-Jin Lee, Jae-Young Kim, Youngkyun Lee
JOURNAL OF PERIODONTOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Sarah K. Williams Avram, Heon-Jin Lee, Jarrett Fastman, Adi Cymerblit-Sabba, Adam Smith, Matthew Vincent, June Song, Michael C. Granovetter, Su-Hyun Lee, Nicholas Cilz, Michelle Stackmann, Rahul Chaturvedi, W. Scott Young
FRONTIERS IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2019)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Su Young Oh, Sung-Min Kang, Soo Hyun Kang, Heon-Jin Lee, Tae-Geon Kwon, Jin-Wook Kim, Sung-Tak Lee, So-Young Choi, Su-Hyung Hong
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2020)
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Heon-Jin Lee
EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
(2020)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Se-Won Park, Ra Gyoung Yoon, Hyunwoo Lee, Heon-Jin Lee, Yong-Do Choi, Du-Hyeong Lee
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
(2020)
Article
Oncology
Soo Hyun Kang, Su Young Oh, Heon-Jin Lee, Tae-Geon Kwon, Jin-Wook Kim, Sung-Tak Lee, So-Young Choi, Su-Hyung Hong
Summary: Fibroblasts are a heterogeneous population of cells that play a role in cancer progression. CAFs from HNSCC patients may delay cancer progression through specific collagen proteins.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
So-Young Choi, Soo Hyun Kang, Su Young Oh, Kah Young Lee, Heon-Jin Lee, Sangil Gum, Tae-Geon Kwon, Jin-Wook Kim, Sung-Tak Lee, Yoo Jin Hong, Dae-Geon Kim, Su-Hyung Hong
Summary: The study characterized mouse tumors derived from 2D and 3D cells to establish an in vivo model with standardized conditions. Results showed that tumors were formed when cells and spheroids co-injected with primary CAFs, with spheroid-derived tumors having abundant vasculature. Cisplatin injection significantly decreased spheroid-derived tumor size, and exosomes from spheroid and CAF co-culture media upregulated angiogenesis-related genes in HNSCC cells.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Song-Yi Choi, Su-Hyung Hong, Heon-Jin Lee
Summary: This study analyzed exosomal miRNA sequencing data from PMA-treated U937 cells and found that miR-24 was highly expressed in exosomes and associated with alpha-tubulin and hnRNP-E1 proteins. Inactivating these proteins resulted in a significant reduction of exosomal miR-24. The findings suggest that miR-24 is transported into exosomes from activated macrophages with the support of alpha-tubulin and hnRNP-E1.
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Su-Im Kim, Jae Yeong Ha, Song-Yi Choi, Su-Hyung Hong, Heon-Jin Lee
Summary: Extracellular vesicles, including bacterial vesicles, can be used as vehicles for delivering genetic materials, such as genes and RNA, into recipient cells. This study demonstrated the successful delivery of GFP genes and precursor microRNA into murine microglial cells using bacterial vesicles.
Article
Microbiology
Jae Yeong Ha, Jiwon Seok, Suk-Jeong Kim, Hye-Jin Jung, Ka-Young Ryu, Michiko Nakamura, Il-Sung Jang, Su-Hyung Hong, Youngkyun Lee, Heon-Jin Lee
Summary: EVs secreted by periodontopathogens such as Aa may contribute to the pathogenesis of neuroinflammatory diseases by inducing the release of proinflammatory cytokines through the TLR signaling pathway. Moreover, EVs can directly activate neuronal inflammation signals through retrograde axonal transport and alter the action potential of neurons.
