Biochemical Society transactions
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The let-7 miRNA (microRNA) is an essential regulator of development from nematode worms to humans. Altered expression of let-7 results in larval arrest or lethality in Caenorhabditis elegans. Likewise, under- or over-expression of let-7 in human cells can result in cellular overproliferation or halted cell division respectively. ⋯ The mature let-7 miRNA along with its effector protein, Argonaute, were shown to bind to a site in the primary transcripts produced by the let-7 gene. This interaction enhances processing through a novel auto-regulatory feedback loop. This discovery highlights a new role for the miRNA complex in regulating miRNA biogenesis and enriches the classes of RNAs targeted by Argonaute.