Cellular protein levels are finely tuned through microRNA-mediated gene regulation, triggered by RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs) that recognize, bind and silence mRNA targets. A recent study shows that, while mRNA target recognition is achieved with only about a third of the guide RNA sequence, formation of an efficient RISC conformation required for target silencing involves the coordination of transient structural states of the entire guide RNA–mRNA duplex.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals
Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription
$29.99 / 30 days
cancel any time
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$189.00 per year
only $15.75 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Baronti, L. et al. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2336-3 (2020).
He, L. et al. Nature 447, 1130–1134 (2007).
Yamakuchi, M. & Lowenstein, C. J. Cell Cycle 8, 712–715 (2009).
Hammond, S. M., Bernstein, E., Beach, D. & Hannon, G. J. Nature 404, 293–296 (2000).
Bartel, D. P. Cell 136, 215–233 (2009).
Schirle, N. T. & MacRae, I. J. Science 336, 1037–1040 (2012).
Agarwal, V., Bell, G. W., Nam, J.-W. & Bartel, D. P. Elife 4, e05005 (2015).
Grimson, A. et al. Mol. Cell 27, 91–105 (2007).
Sheu-Gruttadauria, J., Xiao, Y., Gebert, L. F. R. & MacRae, I. J. EMBO J. 38, e101153 (2019).
Wang, Y. et al. Nature 461, 754–761 (2009).
Chi, S. W., Hannon, G. J. & Darnell, R. B. Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 19, 321–327 (2012).
Song, J.-J., Smith, S. K., Hannon, G. J. & Joshua-Tor, L. Science 305, 1434–1437 (2004).
Broughton, J. P., Lovci, M. T., Huang, J. L., Yeo, G. W. & Pasquinelli, A. E. Mol. Cell 64, 320–333 (2016).
Leontis, N. B. & Westhof, E. RNA 7, 499–512 (2001).
Becker, W. R. et al. Mol. Cell 75, 741–755.e11 (2019).
Acknowledgements
I thank M. Dupont and E. Gagnon for critical reading of this article.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The author declares no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Major, F. From transient recognition to efficient silencing: a RISCky business. Nat Struct Mol Biol 27, 519–520 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-020-0451-3
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41594-020-0451-3