The geographic range of a species includes all the areas its members occupy during their life.

#Id: 6799

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

The action of Dicer generates the short RNA molecule that will determine what target RNA is acted upon. The active form of the regulatory RNA is the single-strand form—at this stage called the guide RNA—incorporated into a RISC protein complex.

#Id: 6800

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

the RNA guide strand recruits RISC to a target RNA. It has been argued that the length of 22 nucleotides is just long enough to specify a single target sequence uniquely in the large genomes of complex eukaryotes using RNA–RNA base pairing.

#Id: 6801

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

Binding of RISC complexes causes the bound mRNPs to associate with P bodies. Since P bodies are major sites of mRNA degradation where the decapping complex DPC1/DPC2, t5′→3′ exonuclease XRN1, and cytoplasmic exosomes are concentrated, mRNAs bound by several RISC complexes are degraded.

#Id: 6802

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

#Id: 6803

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

The base pairing between miRNA and target RNA is initiated by interactions of so-called seed residues—typically the sequence between bases 2 and 9 of the 22-nucleotide miRNA

#Id: 6804

#Unit 3. Fundamental Processes

Humans express four Argonaute proteins. AGO2 is the human Argonaute protein in miRNA-containing RISC complexes.