Proteins binding to duplexed RNA: one motif, multiple functions

Highly structured and double-stranded (ds) RNAs are adaptable and potent bi ochemical entities. They interact with dsRNA-binding proteins (RBPs), the g reat majority of which contain a sequence called the dsRNA-binding motif (d sRBM). This similar to 70-amino-acid sequence motif forms a tertiary struct ure that interacts with dsRNA, with partially duplexed RNA and, in some cas es, with RNA-DNA hybrids, generally without obvious RNA sequence specificit y. At least nine families of functionally diverse proteins contain one or m ore dsRBMs. The motif also participates in complex formation through protei n-protein interactions.