Figure 3. MicroRNA-microRNA binding.
Mature microRNAs can bind in a sequence-specific manner to each other, as demonstrated by cross-linking, ligation and sequencing of hybrids (CLASH). Illustrated here is the antiparallel microRNA duplex containing let-7a and miR-30c, adapted from Helwak et al., 2013. The 5′ terminus and seed region of each microRNA is indicated in yellow (nucleotides 1-8) and the remaining microRNA is in grey. Vertical ‘ladder rungs’ indicate Watson-Crick base pairing, while the absence of a rung indicates a mismatch (i.e., within the miR-30c seed). Single nucleotide bulges (either symmetric or asymmetric) are depicted as a triangular deviation of the backbone.