Dicer, also known as endoribonuclease Dicer or helicase with RNase motif, is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the DICER1 gene. Being part of the RNase III family, Dicer cleaves double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and pre-microRNA (pre-miRNA) into short double-stranded RNA fragments called small interfering RNA and microRNA, respectively. These fragments are approximately 20-25 base pairs long with a two-base overhang on the 3' end. Dicer facilitates the activation of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), which is essential for RNA interference. RISC has a catalytic component argonaute, which is an endonuclease capable of degrading messenger RNA (mRNA).
Dicer was given its name in 2001 by Emily Bernstein, a graduate student in Greg Hannon's lab at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, who sought to discover the enzyme responsible for generating small RNA fragments from double-stranded RNA. Dicer's ability to generate ~22 nucleotide RNA fragments was discovered by separating it from the RISC enzyme complex after initiating the RNAi pathway with dsRNA transfection. This experiment showed that RISC was not responsible for generating the observable small nucleotide fragments. Subsequent experiments testing RNase III family enzymes abilities to create RNA fragments narrowed the search to Drosophila CG4792, now named Dicer.
Sun is up should be feeling great,
your feeling rough got too much on your plate,
a busy day got a lot to do,
a heavy head you think you've caught the flu.
Something deep inside begins to stir,
spirit, conscience your not really sure.
It's gonna be okay...
It's gonna be okay...
Another day your late for work,
the shower's cold you ain't got no clean shirt.
A cup of tea just might do the trick,
the milk's gone off by now feeling sick.
Something deep inside begins to stir,
spirit, conscience your not really sure.
It's gonna be okay...
It's gonna be okay...
We laughed, we cried, we shared along the way,
we did some things we knew we shouldn't do.
So after all what's this life living for,
work it out or head straight for the door
It's gonna be okay...either way
It's gonna be okay...
You close your eyes, try to sleep.
Scold yourself for hours that you keep.
Drifting off will I dream tonight?
In my dreams perhaps I'll get it right.
Something deep inside begins to purrr,
spirit, conscience your not really sure.
It's gonna be okay...
It's gonna be okay...either way