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...

RNA Interference

RNA Interference

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.
This process occurs naturally in cells, often through the activity of genomically-encoded microRNAs. Researchers can take advantage of this mechanism by introducing synthetic RNAs to deactivate specific genes for research or therapeutic purposes. For example, RNAi could be used...

Experimental RNAi

Experimental RNAi

RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

RNA activation as a precision dosing modality: MTL-CEBPA for controlled enzyme elevation in MPS I-H.

Frontiers in medicine·2026

Same author

Selenomethionine mitigation of methylmercury-induced epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations in rainbow trout brain: A toxicogenomic survey.

Aquatic toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands)·2026

Same author

Using pseudotime derivative on single-cell RNA sequencing data to identify genes undergoing cell cycle regulation.

Bioinformatics advances·2025

Same author

Can circulating microRNAs predict colorectal cancer? Results from a nested case-control study of pre-diagnostic serum samples from two prospective biobanks.

BMC cancer·2025

Same author

Altered spawning seasons of Atlantic salmon broodstock transcriptionally and epigenetically influence cell cycle and lipid-mediated regulations in their offspring.

PloS one·2025

Same author

Promising microRNAs in pre-diagnostic serum associated with lung cancer up to eight years before diagnosis: a HUNT study.

Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology·2024

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Genome-wide Screen for miRNA Targets Using the MISSION Target ID Library

Genome-wide Screen for miRNA Targets Using the MISSION Target ID Library

Published on: April 6, 2012

MicroRNAs--targeting and target prediction.

Takaya Saito¹, Pal Saetrom

¹Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7489 Trondheim, Norway.

New Biotechnology

|March 12, 2010

Summary

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate genes by binding to messenger RNAs. This review details animal miRNA targeting features and available prediction tools for researchers.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Bioinformatics

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that play crucial roles in post-transcriptional gene regulation.
Their function involves binding to messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to modulate gene expression.
The study of miRNA targeting mechanisms has been advanced by using short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) as functional mimics.

Purpose of the Study:

To provide a comprehensive overview of the features characterizing animal microRNA targeting.
To describe the currently available computational tools for predicting miRNA targets.
To facilitate research in microRNA biology and gene regulation.

Main Methods:

Literature review of experimental findings on animal miRNA targeting.

More Related Videos

Detection of miRNA Targets in High-throughput Using the 3'LIFE Assay

Detection of miRNA Targets in High-throughput Using the 3'LIFE Assay

Published on: May 25, 2015

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Genome-wide Screen for miRNA Targets Using the MISSION Target ID Library

Genome-wide Screen for miRNA Targets Using the MISSION Target ID Library

Published on: April 6, 2012

Detection of miRNA Targets in High-throughput Using the 3'LIFE Assay

Detection of miRNA Targets in High-throughput Using the 3'LIFE Assay

Published on: May 25, 2015

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method

Published on: October 7, 2025

Survey and description of existing bioinformatics tools for miRNA target prediction.

Synthesis of information on miRNA-siRNA functional overlap.

Main Results:

Detailed outline of key features governing animal miRNA targeting specificity and efficacy.
Categorization and description of various miRNA target prediction algorithms and databases.
Highlighting the experimental validation of miRNA targeting principles through siRNA studies.

Conclusions:

Understanding animal miRNA targeting is essential for deciphering gene regulatory networks.
A variety of prediction tools are available, aiding in the identification of potential miRNA targets.
Further research and tool development will enhance the accuracy and scope of miRNA target prediction.