Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
08:01
Oct4GiP Reporter Assay to Study Genes that Regulate Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Maintenance and Self-renewal
Published on: May 30, 2012
10.1K
MicroRNAs to Nanog, Oct4 and Sox2 coding regions modulate embryonic stem cell differentiation
Yvonne Tay1, Jinqiu Zhang, Andrew M Thomson
1Stem Cell and Developmental Biology, Genome Institute of Singapore, Agency for Science Technology and Research, #08-01, Genome, 60 Biopolis Street, Singapore 138672, Singapore.
Nature
|September 23, 2008
Summary
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) target coding sequences in genes, not just untranslated regions. This discovery reveals new mechanisms for gene regulation and species-specific miRNA activity.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression.
- Historically, miRNA target sites were assumed to be exclusively in the 3' untranslated regions (UTRs) of messenger RNAs (mRNAs).
- This assumption limited the understanding of miRNA-mediated gene regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the existence and function of miRNA targets within the coding sequences (CDS) of specific genes.
- To explore the role of CDS-located miRNA targets in mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation.
- To challenge the traditional model of miRNA-target interactions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of mouse Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2 genes for miRNA target sites in their CDS.
- Experimental validation using site-directed mutagenesis to assess the impact of target site disruption.
- Observation of cellular and phenotypic changes following miRNA-mediated targeting of CDS.
Main Results:
- Identification of numerous naturally occurring miRNA target sites within the CDS of Nanog, Oct4, and Sox2.
- Demonstration that specific miRNAs (miR-134, miR-296, miR-470) target these CDS sites during stem cell differentiation.
- Observed transcriptional and morphological changes characteristic of differentiation, with mutations preventing these effects.
Conclusions:
- miRNA targets are not limited to 3' UTRs and are abundant in CDS.
- CDS-located miRNA targets can be species-specific.
- This expands the known mechanisms of miRNA function, supporting an augmented model of gene regulation.
More Related Videos
10:48Differentiation of a Human Neural Stem Cell Line on Three Dimensional Cultures, Analysis of MicroRNA and Putative Target Genes
Published on: April 12, 2015
11.7K
09:04Analysis of Retinoic Acid-induced Neural Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells in Two and Three-dimensional Embryoid Bodies
Published on: April 22, 2017
8.6K
Related Concept Videos
00:58Embryonic Stem Cells
25.8K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential in science and medicine since they can generate specific cell types for use in research or to replace body cells lost due to damage or disease.
25.8K
02:33Combinatorial Gene Control
8.6K
Combinatorial gene control is the synergistic action of several transcriptional factors to regulate the expression of a single gene. The absence of one or more of these factors may lead to a significant difference in the level of gene expression or repression.
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
The expression of more than 30,000 genes is controlled by approximately 2000-3000 transcription factors. This is possible because a single transcription factor can recognize more than one regulatory sequence. The specificity in gene...
8.6K
00:57Embryonic Stem Cells
4.5K
Embryonic stem (ES) cells were first discovered in mice in 1981 by Martin Evans. In 1998, James Thomson identified a method to isolate embryonic stem cells from humans. Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are obtained from 3-5 day old embryos that remain unused after an in vitro fertilization procedure.
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
ES cells are grown in a culture medium where they can divide indefinitely, creating ES cell lines. Under certain conditions, ES cells can differentiate, either spontaneously into a variety of...
4.5K
01:14Maintenance of the ES Cell State
1.9K
The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...
1.9K
01:29Somatic to iPS Cell Reprogramming
2.1K
Reprogramming alters the gene expression in somatic cells, transforming them into induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells over several generations. Scientists can reprogram cells by introducing genes for four transcription factors—Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM) by viral or non-viral methods. These factors are also known as Yamanaka factors after Shinya Yamanaka, who first generated iPS cells using mouse skin cells. Yamanaka was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2012...
2.1K
01:24Methods of Nuclear Reprogramming
1.4K
Nuclear reprogramming is a process of transforming one cell type into an unrelated cell type by epigenetic changes that alter the cell’s original gene expression pattern. Such epigenetic changes force cells to express a different set of genes, which play a significant role in inducing transformation into other cell types. Nuclear reprogramming offers applications in reproductive cloning for livestock propagation and regenerative medicine — developing patient-specific cells for...
1.4K