A Cellular Function for the RNA-Interference Enzyme Dicer in the Maturation of thelet-7Small Temporal RNA

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Abstract
The 21-nucleotide small temporal RNA (stRNA)let-7regulates developmental timing inCaenorhabditis elegansand probably in other bilateral animals. We present in vivo and in vitro evidence that inDrosophila melanogastera developmentally regulated precursor RNA is cleaved by an RNA interference-like mechanism to produce maturelet-7stRNA. Targeted destruction in cultured human cells of the messenger RNA encoding the enzyme Dicer, which acts in the RNA interference pathway, leads to accumulation of thelet-7precursor. Thus, the RNA interference and stRNA pathways intersect. Both pathways require the RNA-processing enzyme Dicer to produce the active small-RNA component that represses gene expression.