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

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Inheritance of Chromatin Structures

Epigenetics is the study of inherited changes in a cell's phenotype without changing the DNA sequences. It provides a form of memory for the differential gene expression pattern to maintain cell lineage, position-effect variegation, dosage compensation, and maintenance of chromatin structures such as telomeres and centromeres. For example, the structure and location of the centromere on chromosomes are epigenetically inherited. Its functionality is not dictated or ensured by the underlying DNA...

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...

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...

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...

X-Inactivation

X-Inactivation

The human X chromosome contains over ten times the number of genes as in the Y chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, and females have two, one might expect females to produce twice as many of the proteins, with undesirable results.

X-inactivation

X-inactivation

The human X chromosome contains over ten times the number of genes as in the Y chromosome. Since males have only one X chromosome, and females have two, one might expect females to produce twice as many of the proteins, with undesirable results.

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Strain-Dependent Functional Variation of a Sex Specific Sox9 Enhancer.

Genes to cells : devoted to molecular & cellular mechanisms·2026

Same author

SIRT7 regulates dosage compensation and safeguards the female X chromosome.

Nature·2026

Same author

Alternative mRNA splicing events and regulators in epidermal differentiation.

Cell reports·2026

Same author

Cleavage region organizes the structural architecture of the SINE-derived B2 repressive ribozyme.

Communications biology·2026

Same author

Short flat-tapered cementless stem total hip arthroplasty provides favourable mid-to long-term clinical and radiological outcomes in elderly patients.

Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association·2026

Same author

From 2D to 4D: a containerized workflow and browser to explore dynamic chromatin architecture.

BMC bioinformatics·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Quick Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization Protocol for Xist RNA Combined with Immunofluorescence of Histone Modification in X-chromosome Inactivation

Quick Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization Protocol for Xist RNA Combined with Immunofluorescence of Histone Modification in X-chromosome Inactivation

Published on: November 26, 2014

Intersection of the RNA interference and X-inactivation pathways.

Yuya Ogawa¹, Bryan K Sun, Jeannie T Lee

¹Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA 02114, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|June 7, 2008

Summary

Mammalian X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) involves Xist and Tsix RNAs. Their interaction produces small RNAs (sRNAs) via RNA interference (RNAi), crucial for silencing the inactive X chromosome.

More Related Videos

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

RNA-Associated Chromatin DNA-DNA Interaction Method

RNA-Associated Chromatin DNA-DNA Interaction Method

Published on: April 30, 2026

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Quick Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization Protocol for Xist RNA Combined with Immunofluorescence of Histone Modification in X-chromosome Inactivation

Quick Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization Protocol for Xist RNA Combined with Immunofluorescence of Histone Modification in X-chromosome Inactivation

Published on: November 26, 2014

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

RNA-Associated Chromatin DNA-DNA Interaction Method

RNA-Associated Chromatin DNA-DNA Interaction Method

Published on: April 30, 2026

Area of Science:

Genetics
Epigenetics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Mammalian dosage compensation relies on X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) in females.
The Xist gene initiates X chromosome silencing, while Tsix RNA acts as its antagonist.
The complementarity of Xist and Tsix RNAs suggests a role for RNA interference (RNAi).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of RNA interference in X-chromosome inactivation.
To elucidate the mechanism by which Xist and Tsix RNAs interact during XCI.
To determine the function of small RNAs derived from Xist/Tsix duplexes.

Main Methods:

Analysis of Xist and Tsix RNA duplex formation in vivo.
Investigation of Dicer-dependent processing of Xist/Tsix duplexes into small RNAs (sRNAs).
Assessment of Dicer deletion effects on Xist RNA levels, histone methylation, and XCI.
Evaluation of Tsix truncation rescue experiments.

Main Results:

Murine Xist and Tsix RNAs form duplexes in vivo.
These duplexes are processed into sRNAs in a Dicer-dependent manner during XCI.
Dicer deletion impairs sRNA production, derepresses Xist, and blocks Xist RNA accumulation and H3K27 trimethylation on the inactive X.
Tsix truncation partially rescues these defects.

Conclusions:

RNA interference (RNAi) and X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) are interconnected processes.
Dicer-mediated processing of Xist/Tsix duplexes regulates Xist expression.
This mechanism contributes to Xist down-regulation on the active X and silencing on the inactive X chromosome.