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7149900 
Journal Article 
Dicer Partner Proteins Tune the Length of Mature miRNAs in Flies and Mammals 
Fukunaga, R; Han, BoW; Hung, J; Xu, Jia; Weng, Z; Zamore, PD; , 
2012 
Yes 
Cell
ISSN: 0092-8674
EISSN: 1097-4172 
CELL PRESS 
CAMBRIDGE 
151 
3 
533-546 
English 
23063653 
WOS:000310529300011 
Drosophila Dicer-1 produces microRNAs (miRNAs) from pre-miRNA, whereas Dicer-2 generates small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from long dsRNA. Alternative splicing of the loquacious (loqs) mRNA generates three distinct Dicer partner proteins. To understand the function of each, we constructed flies expressing Loqs-PA, Loqs-PB, or Loqs-PD. Loqs-PD promotes both endo-and exo-siRNA production by Dicer-2. Loqs-PA or Loqs-PB is required for viability, but the proteins are not fully redundant: a specific subset of miRNAs requires Loqs-PB. Surprisingly, Loqs-PB tunes where Dicer-1 cleaves pre-miR-307a, generating a longer miRNA isoform with a distinct seed sequence and target specificity. The longer form of miR-307a represses glycerol kinase and taranis mRNA expression. The mammalian Dicer-partner TRBP, a Loqs-PB homolog, similarly tunes where Dicer cleaves pre-miR-132. Thus, Dicer-binding partner proteins change the choice of cleavage site by Dicer, producing miRNAs with target specificities different from those made by Dicer alone or Dicer bound to alternative protein partners.