Characterization of the miRNA-RISC loading complex and miRNA-RISC formed in the Drosophila miRNA pathway

In Drosophila, miRNA is processed by Dicer-1 (DCR-1) from its precursor and loaded onto Argonaute1 (AGO1). AGO1 recognizes target mRNAs based on the miRNA sequence and suppresses the expression at post-transcriptional levels. GW182, a P-body component, localizes the AGO1 complex to processing bodies (P-bodies) where mRNA targets are decayed or stored. However, the details of the pathway remain elusive. In this study, two distinct types of AGO1-containing complexes from Drosophila Schneider2 (S2) cells were isolated and compared at the molecular level. The AGO1 complex with DCR-1 contained neither mature miRNA nor GW182 but exhibited pre-miRNA processing activity. The resultant mature RNA was loaded onto AGO1 within the complex. The AGO1 complex with GW182 excluded DCR-1, but possessed mature miRNA and showed no pre-miRNA processing activity. Thus, the AGO1-DCR-1 and AGO1-GW182 complexes correspond to miRLC (miRISC loading complex) and miRISC, respectively. The requirement for various domains of AGO1 in miRNA-loading and DCR-1/GW182 interaction was also examined. The Mid domain mutant (F2V2) interacted with DCR-1 but not with mature miRNA and GW182. The AGO1-PAZ mutant lacks the mature miRNA-binding ability but associates with either DCR-1 or GW182. The AGO1-PIWI mutant showed no Slicer activity but associates with mature miRNA. These results indicate that these domains are required differently for miRLC and miRISC formation in the miRNA pathway.