Argonaute-3 activates the let-7a passenger strand microRNA.

ABSTRACT: MicroRNA duplices are separated into a guide and a passenger strand. By convention, the guide represents the active microRNA while the passenger is supposedly degraded. However, passenger strands also emerge as active microRNAs. It is unknown whether the guide-to-passenger-strand ratio can be actively regulated and which factors influence strand incorporation into the RISC. Here, we identify a microRNA with a variable guide-to-passenger-strand ratio along with its regulatory factor: Human Argonaute-3 specifically enhances the passenger strand expression and activity of the tumor suppressor microRNA let-7a. This post-maturational effect is mediated by the Ago3 PAZ and MID domains yielding an elevated affinity for let-7a-3p. Notably, this is independent of the 5'-terminal basepair stability,

SUBMITTER: Winter J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3866245 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature