Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
12:54
Real-time Analysis of Transcription Factor Binding, Transcription, Translation, and Turnover to Display Global Events During Cellular Activation
Published on: March 7, 2018
Post-transcriptional gene regulation: RNA-protein interactions, RNA processing, mRNA stability and localization
Benjamin Blencowe1, Steven Brenner, Timothy Hughes
1Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, 1 King's College Rd., Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing. Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing
|February 13, 2009
Summary
This workshop explores computational approaches for understanding gene regulation after transcription. It highlights new methods for identifying RNA and protein factors involved in post-transcriptional control and detecting regulatory signals in messenger RNA.
Area of Science:
- Computational Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Post-transcriptional regulation plays a crucial role in gene expression.
- Investigating these mechanisms presents unique computational challenges.
- Emerging large-scale experimental techniques offer new avenues for study.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the computational community to recent advancements in post-transcriptional regulation.
- To discuss computational problems and present potential solutions in this field.
- To focus on identifying and characterizing RNA and protein components involved in gene regulation.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing microarray and deep sequencing data for large-scale investigations.
- Developing and applying computational methods for analyzing gene regulation.
- Focusing on the identification of cis- and trans-acting regulatory elements.
Main Results:
- Exploration of emerging computational strategies for post-transcriptional analysis.
- Presentation of preliminary solutions to computational challenges in the field.
- Characterization of cis-regulatory signals encoded within mRNAs.
Conclusions:
- Advancements in computational and experimental methods are crucial for understanding post-transcriptional gene regulation.
- Further development of computational tools is needed to fully elucidate these complex regulatory networks.
- This work bridges the gap between computational and experimental approaches in transcriptomics.
Related Concept Videos
02:51mRNA Stability and Gene Expression
The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
02:51mRNA Stability and Gene Expression
The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
01:23Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps
The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the addition of a...
01:53RNA Stability
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
01:53RNA Stability
Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...