This diagram shows DICER’s Decision Process, illustrating how the enzyme acts like a "smart ruler" to decide exactly where to snip the RNA strand. (IMAGE)

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

This diagram shows DICER’s Decision Process, illustrating how the enzyme acts like a "smart ruler" to decide exactly where to snip the RNA strand.

Caption

This diagram shows DICER’s Decision Process, illustrating how the enzyme acts like a "smart ruler" to decide exactly where to snip the RNA strand. The "G" Path (Left): When RNA starts with the letter G, it fits into a green pocket. Normally, this leads to a shorter cut (21 units). However, if the RNA has a specific internal feature, the enzyme physically twists the strand (red lines), overriding the rule to make a longer cut (22 units). The "U" Path (Right): When RNA starts with the letter U, it fits into a pink pocket. This pocket is shaped to naturally align the RNA for the longer cut (22 units) every time, regardless of its internal feature.

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