Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
11:00
Biotin-based Pulldown Assay to Validate mRNA Targets of Cellular miRNAs
Published on: June 12, 2018
14.1K
WBP2 inhibits microRNA biogenesis via interaction with the microprocessor complex
Hossein Tabatabaeian1,2, Shen Kiat Lim1,3, Tinghine Chu1,4
1Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Life Science Alliance
|June 12, 2021
Summary
WBP2, a breast cancer oncoprotein, suppresses microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis by inhibiting the microprocessor complex. This finding suggests targeting WBP2 could be a new therapeutic strategy for breast cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Gene Regulation
Background:
- WBP2 is an oncoprotein implicated in breast cancer, influencing pathways like Wnt and estrogen signaling.
- WBP2 is regulated by microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis machinery, including DGCR8 and Dicer.
- Microprocessor complex components, such as DGCR8, DDX5, and DDX17, exhibit tumor-suppressive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that WBP2 regulates miRNA biogenesis machinery.
- To determine if WBP2 influences the activity of the microprocessor complex.
- To explore the interaction between WBP2 and the tumor-suppressive functions of DGCR8.
Main Methods:
- In vitro assays to assess WBP2's effect on pri-miRNA to pre-miRNA processing.
- Co-immunoprecipitation to study physical interactions between WBP2 and microprocessor complex components.
- Cell proliferation assays (2D and 3D) to evaluate WBP2's impact on DGCR8's tumor-suppressive activity.
Main Results:
- WBP2 was found to suppress microprocessor activity, inhibiting pri-miRNA processing.
- WBP2 physically interacts with microprocessor complex components, negatively regulating its assembly.
- WBP2 blocks the tumor-suppressive properties of DGCR8 in proliferation assays.
Conclusions:
- WBP2 is a novel regulator of miRNA biogenesis, impacting a pathway crucial in breast tumorigenesis.
- WBP2's suppression of the microprocessor complex and its interaction with DGCR8 highlight a new feedback loop.
- Targeting WBP2 may offer a therapeutic avenue for breast cancer by restoring miRNA biogenesis regulation.
Related Concept Videos
01:22MicroRNAs
3.3K
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
3.3K
01:22MicroRNAs
22.6K
MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After...
22.6K
01:23RNA Interference
26.9K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
26.9K
02:57piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
7.2K
PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
7.2K
02:15Experimental RNAi
6.7K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
6.7K
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
4.8K
Under normal conditions, most adult cells remain in a non-proliferative state unless stimulated by internal or external factors to replace lost cells. Abnormal cell proliferation is a condition in which the cell's growth exceeds and is uncoordinated with normal cells. In such situations, cell division persists in the same excessive manner even after cessation of the stimuli, leading to persistent tumors. The tumor arises from the damaged cells that replicate to pass the damage to the...
4.8K