Microprocessor complex
![A crystal structure of the human Drosha protein in complex with the C-terminal helices of two DGCR8 molecules (green). Drosha consists of two ribonuclease III domains (blue and orange); a double-stranded RNA binding domain (yellow); and a connector/platform domain (gray) containing two bound zinc ion (spheres). From PDB: 5B16.](/Images/godic/202501/27/5b16_drosha_dgcr81348.png")
![The human exportin-5 protein (red) in complex with Ran-GTP (yellow) and a pre-microRNA (green), showing two-nucleotide overhang recognition element (orange). From PDB: 3A6P.](/Images/godic/202501/27/3a6p_xpo5_ran_miRNA1349.png")
The Microprocessor complex is a protein complex involved in the early stages of processing microRNA (miRNA) in animal cells. The complex is minimally composed of the ribonuclease enzyme Drosha and the RNA-binding protein DGCR8 (also known as Pasha) and cleaves primary miRNA substrates to pre-miRNA in the cell nucleus.