The Microprocessor controls the activity of mammalian retrotransposons

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Sara R. Heras
  • Sara Macias
  • Mireya Plass
  • Noemí Fernandez
  • David Cano
  • Eduardo Eyras
  • José L. Garcia-Perez
  • Javier F. Cáceres
More than half of the human genome is made of transposable elements whose ongoing mobilization is a driving force in genetic diversity; however, little is known about how the host regulates their activity. Here, we show that the Microprocessor (Drosha-DGCR8), which is required for microRNA biogenesis, also recognizes and binds RNAs derived from human long interspersed element 1 (LINE-1), Alu and SVA retrotransposons. Expression analyses demonstrate that cells lacking a functional Microprocessor accumulate LINE-1 mRNA and encoded proteins. Furthermore, we show that structured regions of the LINE-1 mRNA can be cleaved in vitro by Drosha. Additionally, we used a cell culture-based assay to show that the Microprocessor negatively regulates LINE-1 and Alu retrotransposition in vivo. Altogether, these data reveal a new role for the Microprocessor as a post-transcriptional repressor of mammalian retrotransposons and a defender of human genome integrity.
Original languageEnglish
JournalNature Structural and Molecular Biology
Volume20
Issue number10
Pages (from-to)1173-1181
Number of pages9
ISSN1545-9993
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2013

ID: 50802314