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

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...

MicroRNAs

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns—non-coding regions of a gene—or intergenic regions—stretches of DNA present between genes. Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA ends...

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Transcriptome-wide analysis of Arabidopsis DICER-LIKE1 RNA substrates.

Nucleic acids research·2026

Same author

Three decades of mobile RNA silencing within plants: what have we learnt?

Journal of experimental botany·2025

Same author

Species-wide gene editing of a flowering regulator reveals hidden phenotypic variation.

PLoS biology·2025

Same author

A pectin acetyl-transferase facilitates secondary plasmodesmata formation and RNA silencing movement between plant cells.

The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology·2025

Same author

Phosphorylation-dependent activation of the bHLH transcription factor ICE1/SCRM promotes polarization of the Arabidopsis zygote.

The New phytologist·2024

Same author

Continental-scale associations of Arabidopsis thaliana phyllosphere members with host genotype and drought.

Nature microbiology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

miRNA processing turned upside down.

Rebecca Schwab¹, Olivier Voinnet

¹IBMP-CNRS, UPR2357 Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.

The EMBO Journal

|December 3, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study reveals a novel plant microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis pathway. The Dicer-Like 1 (DCL1) enzyme processes long miRNA precursors via sequential cuts near the loop, differing from typical base-to-loop processing.

More Related Videos

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2022

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

Published on: January 21, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2022

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

Published on: January 21, 2020

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Plant Science
RNA Biology

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of eukaryotic gene expression.
miRNA biogenesis involves processing of precursor transcripts by RNAse III enzymes like Dicer.
Plant miRNAs are processed by Dicer-Like 1 (DCL1).

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the processing of two plant miRNA families with unusually long precursors.
To elucidate the mechanism of miRNA biogenesis for these specific families.
To understand the role of precursor structure in miRNA processing.

Main Methods:

Analysis of miRNA precursor processing by DCL1.
Investigation of sequential processing events.
Structural and sequence analysis of precursor transcripts.

Main Results:

A non-canonical miRNA biogenesis pathway was identified in plants.
DCL1 initiates sequential cuts near the loop of long miRNA precursors, not at the base.
Precursor integrity of the upper stem is crucial for this processing.
Additional small RNA species are generated during this loop-to-base processing.

Conclusions:

Plant miRNA processing can occur through non-canonical pathways involving DCL1.
The findings suggest a loop-to-base processing mechanism dependent on upper stem integrity.
This processing generates unique small RNA profiles, potentially illuminating miRNA gene origins.