Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs

Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are loaded into Argonaute (AGO) proteins, forming RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs). The assembly process establishes the seed, central, 3′ supplementary, and tail regions across the loaded guide, enabling the RISC to recognize ta...

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Main Authors: GeunYoung Sim, Audrey C. Kehling, Mi Seul Park, Cameron Divoky, Huaqun Zhang, Nipun Malhotra, Jackson Secor, Kotaro Nakanishi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2023-11-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46562-6
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author GeunYoung Sim
Audrey C. Kehling
Mi Seul Park
Cameron Divoky
Huaqun Zhang
Nipun Malhotra
Jackson Secor
Kotaro Nakanishi
author_facet GeunYoung Sim
Audrey C. Kehling
Mi Seul Park
Cameron Divoky
Huaqun Zhang
Nipun Malhotra
Jackson Secor
Kotaro Nakanishi
author_sort GeunYoung Sim
collection DOAJ
description Abstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are loaded into Argonaute (AGO) proteins, forming RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs). The assembly process establishes the seed, central, 3′ supplementary, and tail regions across the loaded guide, enabling the RISC to recognize target RNAs for silencing. This guide segmentation is caused by anchoring the 3′ end at the AGO PAZ domain, but the minimum guide length required for the conformation remains to be studied because the current miRNA size defined by Dicer processing is ambiguous. Using a 3′ → 5′ exonuclease ISG20, we determined the lengths of AGO-associated miR-20a and let-7a with 3′ ends that no longer reach the PAZ domain. Unexpectedly, miR-20a and let-7a needed different lengths, 19 and 20 nt, respectively, to maintain their RISC conformation. This difference can be explained by the low affinity of the PAZ domain for the adenosine at g19 of let-7a, suggesting that the tail-region sequence slightly alters the minimum guide length. We also present that 17-nt guides are sufficiently short enough to function as tinyRNAs (tyRNAs) whose 3′ ends are not anchored at the PAZ domain. Since tyRNAs do not have the prerequisite anchoring for the standardized guide segmentation, they would recognize targets differently from miRNAs and siRNAs.
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spelling doaj.art-1c53bc415af844f9a14a8991e32f36442023-11-19T13:08:39ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-11-011311710.1038/s41598-023-46562-6Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAsGeunYoung Sim0Audrey C. Kehling1Mi Seul Park2Cameron Divoky3Huaqun Zhang4Nipun Malhotra5Jackson Secor6Kotaro Nakanishi7Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityOhio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityDepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State UniversityCenter for RNA Biology, The Ohio State UniversityAbstract MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are loaded into Argonaute (AGO) proteins, forming RNA-induced silencing complexes (RISCs). The assembly process establishes the seed, central, 3′ supplementary, and tail regions across the loaded guide, enabling the RISC to recognize target RNAs for silencing. This guide segmentation is caused by anchoring the 3′ end at the AGO PAZ domain, but the minimum guide length required for the conformation remains to be studied because the current miRNA size defined by Dicer processing is ambiguous. Using a 3′ → 5′ exonuclease ISG20, we determined the lengths of AGO-associated miR-20a and let-7a with 3′ ends that no longer reach the PAZ domain. Unexpectedly, miR-20a and let-7a needed different lengths, 19 and 20 nt, respectively, to maintain their RISC conformation. This difference can be explained by the low affinity of the PAZ domain for the adenosine at g19 of let-7a, suggesting that the tail-region sequence slightly alters the minimum guide length. We also present that 17-nt guides are sufficiently short enough to function as tinyRNAs (tyRNAs) whose 3′ ends are not anchored at the PAZ domain. Since tyRNAs do not have the prerequisite anchoring for the standardized guide segmentation, they would recognize targets differently from miRNAs and siRNAs.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46562-6
spellingShingle GeunYoung Sim
Audrey C. Kehling
Mi Seul Park
Cameron Divoky
Huaqun Zhang
Nipun Malhotra
Jackson Secor
Kotaro Nakanishi
Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
Scientific Reports
title Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
title_full Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
title_fullStr Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
title_full_unstemmed Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
title_short Determining the defining lengths between mature microRNAs/small interfering RNAs and tinyRNAs
title_sort determining the defining lengths between mature micrornas small interfering rnas and tinyrnas
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-46562-6
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