epitope mapping at the N-terminus of Dicer of human origin
recommended for detection of Dicer of mouse, rat and human origin by WB, IF and ELISA; also reactive with additional species, including equine, canine, bovine, porcine and avian
Dicer Background Information The mammalian Dicer is a type III RNase-related protein with orthologs in yeast, Drosophila and Arabidopsis. Dicer contains an RNA-helicase motif including a DEXH-box in its amino-terminus and an RNase motif in the carboxy-terminus. The gene encoding human Dicer maps to chromosome 14q31. Dicer is expressed in brain, heart, liver, lung, pancreas, kidney and placenta and functions in the RNA interference pathway. Dicer cleaves short hairpin RNA precursors of approximately 70 bp into 21-23 bp dsRNAs that selectively target the destruction of homologous RNAs. Dicer localizes to the cytoplasm of mammalian cells. Specifically, it co-localizes with calreticulin in the endoplasmic reticulum. Although the cleavage of RNA by Dicer is ATP-independent, the product release necessary for the rapid turnover of this enzyme may be attributed to ATP. Immunoprecipitation studies indicate Dicer forms a complex with PIWI domain of eIF2C translation initiation factors.
