Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs
Published on: July 11, 2020
MicroRNA regulation and interspecific variation of gene expression
Qinghua Cui1, Zhenbao Yu, Enrico O Purisima
1Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Council Canada, Montreal, Quebec, H4P 2R2, Canada.
Abstract:
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) modulate expression of their target genes in various tissues and at different developmental stages, but it is unclear whether they drive cross-species variation in gene expression. By comparing data from mammal and fly species we found that the cross-species expression variation of miRNA targets is significantly lower than that of other genes. This implies that miRNAs can affect gene expression by reducing stochastic noise, buffering cross-species variation and constraining evolutionary gene expression variation.
Related Concept Videos
MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs
MicroRNAs
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
RNA Interference
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 Interference
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...

