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

Short-distance Transport of Resources

Short-distance Transport of Resources

Short-distance transport refers to transport that occurs over a distance of just 2-3 cells, crossing the plasma membrane in the process. Small uncharged molecules, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water, can diffuse across the plasma membrane on their own. In contrast, ions and larger molecules require the assistance of transport proteins due to their charge or size. Transport across membranes also occurs within individual cells, playing a variety of essential roles for the plant as a whole.

Riboswitches

Riboswitches

Riboswitches are non-coding mRNA domains that regulate the transcription and translation of downstream genes without the help of proteins. Riboswitches bind directly to a metabolite and can form unique stem-loop or hairpin structures in response to the amount of the metabolite present. They have two distinct regions – a metabolite-binding aptamer and an expression platform.
The aptamer has high specificity for a particular metabolite which allows riboswitches to specifically regulate...

Translational Regulation

Translational Regulation

Translational regulation in prokaryotes ensures efficient protein synthesis by controlling ribosome access to mRNA. This regulation is mediated by secondary RNA structures, including translational riboswitches, RNA thermometers, and small RNAs (sRNAs), which respond to intracellular and environmental signals to modulate gene expression.Translational RiboswitchesRiboswitches in the leader region of mRNAs can regulate translation by altering the accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence,...

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs

In humans, more than 80% of the genome gets transcribed. However, only around 2% of the genome codes for proteins. The remaining part produces non-coding RNAs which includes ribosomal RNAs, transfer RNAs, telomerase RNAs, and regulatory RNAs, among other types. A large number of regulatory non-coding RNAs have been classified into two groups depending upon their length – small non-coding RNAs, such as microRNA, which are less than 200 nucleotides in length, and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)...

Cell Signaling in Plants

Cell Signaling in Plants

Plant cells communicate to coordinate their cycle of growth, flowering and fruiting, and activities in roots, shoots, and leaves in response to the changing environmental conditions. Plant signaling is distinct from animal signaling. Plants primarily utilize enzyme-linked receptors, whereas the largest class of cell-surface receptors in animals are G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Unlike animals, receptor tyrosine kinases are rare in plants. Instead, plants have a diverse class of...

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

Transcriptional Regulation: Riboswitches

Riboswitches are RNA elements that regulate gene expression by altering their secondary structures in response to specific effector molecules. These elements, located in the leader regions of certain mRNAs, act as transcriptional regulators by toggling between alternative conformations to control downstream gene expression. Riboswitch-mediated regulation is a precise mechanism for modulating biosynthetic pathways, as exemplified by the riboflavin biosynthesis pathway in Bacillus...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Cell fate acquisition at a de novo developmental boundary in the maize leaf.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Dissecting the numbers: A detailed analysis of 23 years of mass shootings across the United States.

American journal of surgery·2025

Same author

Transcription factor binding divergence drives transcriptional and phenotypic variation in maize.

Nature plants·2025

Same author

Corrigendum to "Role of endovascular management on outcomes in patients with traumatic inferior vena cava injuries" [Am J Surg 238 (2024) 115836].

American journal of surgery·2025

Same author

Developmental constraint underlies the replicated evolution of grass awns.

The New phytologist·2024

Same author

A regulatory network controlling developmental boundaries and meristem fates contributed to maize domestication.

Nature genetics·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Laser-Capture Microdissection RNA-Sequencing for Spatial and Temporal Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Analysis in Plants

Laser-Capture Microdissection RNA-Sequencing for Spatial and Temporal Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Analysis in Plants

Published on: August 5, 2020

Small RNAs going the distance during plant development.

George Chuck¹, Devin O'Connor

¹U.C. Berkeley, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States. gchuck@nature.berkeley.edu

Current Opinion in Plant Biology

|October 3, 2009

Summary

Small RNAs regulate plant development by controlling gene expression. New findings show these small RNAs can move within plants, suggesting a broader signaling role in development.

More Related Videos

A Stepwise Guide to the Isolation and Analysis of Leaf Surface and Apoplastic RNA Using Arabidopsis Rosettes

A Stepwise Guide to the Isolation and Analysis of Leaf Surface and Apoplastic RNA Using Arabidopsis Rosettes

Published on: August 8, 2025

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

Published on: July 11, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Laser-Capture Microdissection RNA-Sequencing for Spatial and Temporal Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Analysis in Plants

Laser-Capture Microdissection RNA-Sequencing for Spatial and Temporal Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Analysis in Plants

Published on: August 5, 2020

A Stepwise Guide to the Isolation and Analysis of Leaf Surface and Apoplastic RNA Using Arabidopsis Rosettes

A Stepwise Guide to the Isolation and Analysis of Leaf Surface and Apoplastic RNA Using Arabidopsis Rosettes

Published on: August 8, 2025

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

Published on: July 11, 2020

Area of Science:

Plant molecular biology
Gene regulation
Developmental biology

Background:

Small RNAs (19-27 nucleotides) are key regulators of plant gene expression.
Their precise mechanisms and scope of action are still being uncovered.
Plant development relies on intricate regulatory networks.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the non-cell autonomous functions of small RNAs.
To investigate the movement and signaling capabilities of small RNAs in plants.
To refine current models of small RNA-mediated gene regulation.

Main Methods:

Analysis of previously characterized small RNAs.
Experimental observation of small RNA movement within plant tissues.
Comparative studies of small RNA localization and function.

Main Results:

Several small RNAs exhibit non-cell autonomous activity.
Observed movement of small RNAs over short and long distances within the plant.
Evidence suggests small RNAs move beyond their site of synthesis.

Conclusions:

Small RNAs are mobile molecules within plants.
Their ability to move supports a role in intercellular signaling.
Small RNAs are integral to a larger developmental signaling network in plants.