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Alternative Processing of Primary microRNA Transcripts by Drosha Generates 5′ End Variation of Mature microRNA

Figure 5

A model for the generation of mature miRNA end polymorphism.

(A). The biogenesis of class I miRNA (represented by miR-150): here the Drosha cleavage is precise and generates only one pre-miRNA from the pri-miRNA and hence the end is fixed and does not show polymorphism. Since the end of pre-miRNA is homogenous and Dicer processing is also precise, the 3′ end polymorphism seen in the mature miRNA is more likely generated subsequent to Drosha/Dicer processing. (B). The biogenesis of class II miRNAs. Here, because alternative processing of pri-miRNA by Drosha generates multiple pre-miRNAs that are each processed precisely by Dicer, the 5′ end of mature miRNA exhibits polymorphism. The 3′ end polymorphism arises after Drosha/Dicer processing as explained in (A).

Figure 5

doi: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007566.g005