Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

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...

RNA Interference

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...

Experimental RNAi

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Efficacious genome editing in infant mice with glycogen storage disease type Ia.

JCI insight·2025

Same author

Author Correction: RNA conformational propensities determine cellular activity.

Nature·2023

Same author

RNA conformational propensities determine cellular activity.

Nature·2023

Same author

Genome editing using <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Cas9 in a canine model of glycogen storage disease Ia.

Molecular therapy. Methods & clinical development·2023

Same author

The SMC5/6 complex: An emerging antiviral restriction factor that can silence episomal DNA.

PLoS pathogens·2023

Same author

Epigenetic silencing by the SMC5/6 complex mediates HIV-1 latency.

Nature microbiology·2022

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

Published on: August 21, 2019

Recognition and cleavage of primary microRNA transcripts.

Yan Zeng¹, Bryan R Cullen

¹Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|September 8, 2006

Summary

This study details methods for overexpressing microRNAs (miRNAs) in human cells. It also explains how longer primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) precursors are processed, both within cells and in vitro.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNA molecules crucial for gene regulation in multicellular organisms.
Understanding miRNA biogenesis and manipulation is vital for research and therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe methodologies for the overexpression of human microRNAs (miRNAs).
To elucidate the processing mechanisms of primary microRNAs (pri-miRNAs) in human cells and in vitro systems.

Main Methods:

Detailed protocols for inducing miRNA overexpression in human cell lines.
In vitro and cellular assays to investigate pri-miRNA processing pathways.

Main Results:

Successful demonstration of human miRNA overexpression techniques.

More Related Videos

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 20, 2026

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

Published on: August 21, 2019

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

Characterization of key steps and factors involved in pri-miRNA maturation.

Conclusions:

Established methods provide tools for studying miRNA functions through overexpression.
Insights into pri-miRNA processing enhance our understanding of miRNA biogenesis regulation.