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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...

Riboswitches

Riboswitches

Riboswitches are non-coding mRNA domains that regulate the transcription and translation of downstream genes without the help of proteins. Riboswitches bind directly to a metabolite and can form unique stem-loop or hairpin structures in response to the amount of the metabolite present. They have two distinct regions – a metabolite-binding aptamer and an expression platform.
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...

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...

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

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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...

Cell Signaling in Plants

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Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato

Published on: June 10, 2009

A two-hit trigger for siRNA biogenesis in plants.

Michael J Axtell¹, Calvin Jan, Ramya Rajagopalan

¹Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.

|November 4, 2006

Summary

Dual microRNA binding sites, not always involving cleavage, trigger phased small interfering RNA (siRNA) biogenesis in plants. This conserved mechanism impacts RNA silencing and recognition.

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Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato

Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) in Nicotiana benthamiana and Tomato

Published on: June 10, 2009

Double-stranded RNA Oral Delivery Methods to Induce RNA Interference in Phloem and Plant-sap-feeding Hemipteran Insects

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Published on: May 4, 2018

Screening and Identification of RNA Silencing Suppressors from Secreted Effectors of Plant Pathogens

Screening and Identification of RNA Silencing Suppressors from Secreted Effectors of Plant Pathogens

Published on: February 3, 2020

Area of Science:

Plant molecular biology
RNA silencing pathways
Epigenetics and gene regulation

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) initiate RNA-directed cleavage, sometimes leading to phased small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in Arabidopsis.
Most miRNA targets do not produce siRNAs, indicating other factors are involved in siRNA generation.

Purpose of the Study:

Investigate the determinants of phased siRNA biogenesis beyond simple miRNA cleavage.
Explore the role of dual miRNA binding sites in conserved siRNA loci.

Main Methods:

Comparative analysis of siRNA generation in moss and Arabidopsis.
In vitro binding assays for miR390 and complementary sites.
Functional analysis of miR390 complementary sites in Arabidopsis using genetic approaches.

Main Results:

Phased siRNAs in moss originate from regions flanked by dual miR390 cleavage sites.
The conserved siRNA locus AtTAS3 possesses dual miR390 complementary sites, both functional in Arabidopsis.
Non-cleavable miRNA binding sites can be functionally significant in plants.
Dual miRNA/siRNA complementary sites, not necessarily two cleavage events, are a conserved trigger for siRNA biogenesis.

Conclusions:

A conserved mechanism involving dual miRNA binding sites, often but not exclusively through cleavage, initiates phased siRNA production.
This finding has significant implications for understanding RNA recognition and the silencing of aberrant RNAs across plant species.