Fig. 3
From: Conservation and diversification of small RNA pathways within flatworms
MicroRNA pathway genes detected in flatworms. Pri-microRNA is transcribed in the nucleus by RNA polymerase II and processed into pre-microRNA by Pasha and Drosha (the microprocessor complex). Pre-miRNA is exported to the cytoplasm by the transmembrane protein Xpo1 where is processed by Dicer into a 21 ~ nucleotides dsRNA. Ago1/2 removes the passenger strand from the mature miRNA. The miRNA with Ago1 and other factors associated to the miRISC complex will anneal the target mRNA with 100% complementarity to the seed region (nucleotides 2–8 of miRNA) blocking the translation and sequestering the mRNA to the P-body. Factors involved in the microRNA pathway with homologous genes detected in flatworms are indicated (“Flatworm Distribution Code” box). A ‘shape’ code was used to indicate predicted function of factors (“Protein Function Code” box)