DGCR8

The DGCR8 microprocessor complex subunit (DiGeorge syndrome chromosomal [or critical] region 8) is a is_associated_with::protein that in humans is encoded by the DGCR8 is_associated_with::gene. In other animals, particularly the common is_associated_with::model organisms is_associated_with::Drosophila melanogaster and is_associated_with::Caenorhabditis elegans, the protein is known as Pasha (partner of is_associated_with::Drosha). It is a required component of the is_associated_with::RNA interference pathway.

Function
DGCR8 is localized to the is_associated_with::cell nucleus and is required for is_associated_with::microRNA (miRNA) processing. It binds to is_associated_with::Drosha, an is_associated_with::RNase III is_associated_with::enzyme, to form the Microprocessor complex that cleaves a is_associated_with::primary transcript known as pri-miRNA to a characteristic is_associated_with::stem-loop structure known as a pre-miRNA, which is then further processed to miRNA fragments by the enzyme is_associated_with::Dicer. DGCR8 contains an is_associated_with::RNA-binding domain and is thought to bind pri-miRNA to stabilize it for processing by Drosha.