Lung cancer in never smokers (LCINS): development of a UK national research strategy.

Introduction: Lung cancer in never smokers (LCINS) accounts for 15% of lung cancers diagnosed in the UK, making it the 8th most common cancer. There are few robust studies specific to the LCINS population making data surrounding the incidence and mortality of LCINS incomplete, leaving many gaps in our understanding of the needs of this population.

Methods: To address a lack of research in this important area, the UK National Cancer Research Institute Lung Study Group (NCRI-LSG) undertook a national survey and hosted a research strategy day to define key research priorities.

Conserved asymmetry underpins homodimerization of Dicer-associated double-stranded RNA-binding proteins.

Double-stranded RNA-binding domains (dsRBDs) are commonly found in modular proteins that interact with RNA. Two varieties of dsRBD exist: canonical Type A dsRBDs interact with dsRNA, while non-canonical Type B dsRBDs lack RNA-binding residues and instead interact with other proteins. In higher eukaryotes, the microRNA biogenesis enzyme Dicer forms a 1:1 association with a dsRNA-binding protein (dsRBP).