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Autoinhibition of human dicer by its internal helicase domain

J Mol Biol. 2008 Jun 27;380(1):237-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2008.05.005. Epub 2008 May 8.

Abstract

Dicer, a member of the ribonuclease III family of enzymes, processes double-stranded RNA substrates into approximately 21- to 27-nt products that trigger sequence-directed gene silencing by RNA interference. Although the mechanism of RNA recognition and length-specific cleavage by Dicer has been established, the way in which dicing activity is regulated is unclear. Here, we show that the N-terminal domain of human Dicer, which is homologous to DExD/H-box helicases, substantially attenuates the rate of substrate cleavage. Deletion or mutation of this domain activates human Dicer in both single- and multiple-turnover assays. The catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)) of the deletion construct is increased by 65-fold over that exhibited by the intact enzyme. Kinetic analysis shows that this activation is almost entirely due to an enhancement in k(cat). Modest stimulation of catalysis by the full-length Dicer enzyme was observed in the presence of the TAR-RNA binding protein, which physically interacts with the DExD/H-box domain. These results suggest that the DExD/H-box domain likely disrupts the functionality of the Dicer active site until a structural rearrangement occurs, perhaps upon assembly with its molecular partners.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Catalysis
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases / chemistry*
  • Endoribonucleases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Endoribonucleases / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • RNA, Double-Stranded / metabolism
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Ribonuclease III
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • RNA, Double-Stranded
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • trans-activation responsive RNA-binding protein
  • Endoribonucleases
  • DICER1 protein, human
  • Ribonuclease III
  • DEAD-box RNA Helicases