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piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

PIWI-interacting RNAs, or piRNAs, are the most abundant short non-coding RNAs. More than 20,000 genes have been found in humans that code for piRNAs while only 2000 genes have been found for miRNAs. piRNAs can act at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and have a vital role in silencing transposable elements present in germ cells. They are also involved in epigenetic silencing and activation. Previously, they were thought to function only in germ cells but new evidence suggests...
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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.
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Nucleic Acid Structure01:25

Nucleic Acid Structure

The pentose sugar in DNA is deoxyribose, while in RNA the pentose sugar is ribose. The difference between the sugars is the presence of the hydroxyl group on the ribose's second carbon and a hydrogen on the deoxyribose's second carbon. The phosphate residue attaches to the hydroxyl group of the 5′ carbon of one sugar and the hydroxyl group of the 3′ carbon of the sugar of the next nucleotide, which forms  a 5′ to 3′ phosphodiester linkage.
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Nucleic Acids02:43

Nucleic Acids

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Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

Pattern formation via small RNA mobility.

Daniel H Chitwood1, Fabio T S Nogueira, Miya D Howell

  • 1Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA.

Genes & Development
|March 10, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Trans-acting siRNAs (ta-siRNAs) move between plant cells, acting as mobile signals. These mobile small RNAs pattern leaf development by creating gradients that regulate gene expression.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers
06:59

Nanomanipulation of Single RNA Molecules by Optical Tweezers

Published on: August 20, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Plant molecular biology
  • Developmental biology
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Small RNAs, including microRNAs and trans-acting siRNAs (ta-siRNAs), regulate gene expression during development.
  • Small RNAs are generally not considered mobile signals in developmental processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the mobility and function of ta-siRNAs in plant development.
  • To determine if small RNAs can act as intercellular signals.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of conserved ta-siRNAs (tasiR-ARFs) in plant leaves.
  • Tracking the intercellular movement of tasiR-ARFs from the adaxial to the abaxial leaf side.
  • Assessing the role of tasiR-ARFs in patterning the abaxial determinant AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3.

Main Results:

  • Identified conserved ta-siRNAs (tasiR-ARFs) that exhibit intercellular movement.
  • Demonstrated that tasiR-ARFs migrate from the upper (adaxial) to the lower (abaxial) leaf surface.
  • Showed that this movement establishes a small RNA gradient crucial for patterning AUXIN RESPONSE FACTOR3.

Conclusions:

  • ta-siRNAs can function as mobile, instructive signals during plant development.
  • Intercellular movement of small RNAs plays a significant role in establishing developmental gradients.
  • This finding expands the known functions of small RNAs in regulating complex developmental processes.