Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

RNA Interference in the Egg Parasitoid, Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura
05:29

RNA Interference in the Egg Parasitoid, Trichogramma dendrolimi Matsumura

Published on: November 21, 2023

Disruption of GW bodies impairs mammalian RNA interference

Andrew Jakymiw1, Shangli Lian, Theophany Eystathioy

  • 1Department of Oral Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.

Nature Cell Biology
|November 15, 2005
PubMed

Insights

The GW182 protein and Argonaute-2 (Ago2) are found in cytoplasmic GW bodies, structures involved in mRNA degradation. Their presence suggests these bodies contribute to RNA interference and gene silencing.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • GW182 is an RNA-binding protein found in cytoplasmic GW bodies (GWBs).
  • GWBs are implicated in mRNA degradation pathways.
  • Exogenous Argonaute-2 (Ago2) localizes to GWBs, suggesting a link to RNA interference (RNAi).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the localization of endogenous Ago2 and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) within GWBs.
  • To determine the interaction between GW182 and Ago2.
  • To assess the role of GWBs in RNA silencing.

Main Methods:

  • Immunofluorescence microscopy to detect protein and siRNA localization.
  • Co-immunoprecipitation assays to study protein interactions.
  • Functional assays involving siRNA-mediated gene silencing in HeLa cells.

Main Results:

  • Endogenous Ago2 and transfected siRNAs were found to localize within GWBs.
  • GW182 protein was shown to interact with Ago2.
  • Disruption of GWBs impaired the gene silencing activity of a specific siRNA.

Conclusions:

  • Cytoplasmic GWBs contain key components of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).
  • GW182 and the GWB microenvironment are crucial for efficient RNA silencing.
  • These findings support a model where GWBs facilitate RNA interference pathways.

More Related Videos

Xenopus laevis as a Model to Identify Translation Impairment10:24

Xenopus laevis as a Model to Identify Translation Impairment

Published on: September 27, 2015

Using RNA-mediated Interference Feeding Strategy to Screen for Genes Involved in Body Size Regulation in the Nematode C. elegans11:22

Using RNA-mediated Interference Feeding Strategy to Screen for Genes Involved in Body Size Regulation in the Nematode C. elegans

Published on: February 13, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

RNA interference (RNAi) is a process in which a small non-coding RNA molecule blocks the post-transcriptional expression of a gene by binding to its messenger RNA (mRNA) and preventing the protein from being translated.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay02:27

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...
RNA Editing02:23

RNA Editing

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...