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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Jan 1.
Published in final edited form as: Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2010 Jan;1183:183–194. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.05121.x

Figure 1. Biosynthesis of microRNA.

Figure 1

Primary-microRNA (pri-miRNA) transcription takes place in the nucleus by RNA polymerase II. Pri-miRNA is then processed in the nucleus by microprocessor complex composed of Drosha and DCGR8, producing a precursor-miRNA which is then exported out of the nucleus by Exportin-5 and Ran-GTP. In the cytoplasm, further processing by Dicer and TRPB releases a miRNA duplex. One strand is degraded while the mature miRNA is incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which leads to targeting to an mRNA leading to its destabilization or repression of translation.