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The p53‐induced Wig‐1 protein binds double‐stranded RNAs with structural characteristics of siRNAs and miRNAs
Author(s) -
Méndez Vidal Cristina,
Prahl Magdalena,
Wiman Klas G.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.07.005
Subject(s) - zinc finger , rna silencing , small interfering rna , microrna , gene silencing , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , rna interference , rna , biochemistry , gene , transcription factor
Wig‐1 is a p53‐induced zinc finger protein. Here we show that human Wig‐1 binds long (⩾23 bp) dsRNAs with 5′‐overhangs. The first zinc finger domain is necessary but not sufficient for this dsRNA‐binding in vitro. Wig‐1 also binds dsRNA in living cells via zinc fingers 1 and 2. Both zinc fingers 1 and 2 are important for Wig‐1‐mediated growth suppression. Moreover, Wig‐1 binds 21 bp dsRNAs with 3′‐protruding ends. These findings demonstrate that human Wig‐1 can bind different types of dsRNAs, including dsRNAs resembling small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), and indicate that dsRNA binding has a role in Wig‐1‐mediated regulation of cell growth.