(A): Schematic representation of the Ack1 mRNA with three 3′UTR miR-7 binding sites (A, B, and C), as predicted by Pictar. (B): Schematic representation of Fluc reporter vectors for miR-7 target sites, partial wt pAck1 3′UTR containing all three putative binding sites (453–840 nt), and partial Ack1 3′UTRs containing sites pAck1 A, pAck1 B or pAck1 C. (C): The mature miR-7 sequence with its binding sites and wt and mt (mt, lower case) forms of the Ack1 mRNA 3′UTR miR-7 target sites are shown. (D): The pMiR-Report vector containing all three binding sites in the 3’UTR of the Ack1 mRNA with pre-miR-7 or pre-control 1, and an expression cassette for Rluc, were co-transfected into HEK 293T cells. Two days later, Fluc activity in the cells was measured and normalized to Rluc activity. (E): In a similar experiment, pMIR vectors containing pAck1 3’UTR sites A, B or C and their mutated counterparts were co-transfected into HEK 293T cells and luciferase activities were measured, as above. These experiments were performed in triplicate and results are shown as the mean ± S.D. (*p<0.01, ***p<0.001, Student’s t-test). (F): HEI-193 cells were transfected either with pre-control 1 or pre-miR-7 and three days after transfection, western blots were performed for Ack1 and actin (one of two similar blots is shown).