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 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...

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...

Nucleic Acid Structure

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.
DNA Structure
DNA has a double-helix structure. The...

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...

Regulated mRNA Transport

Regulated mRNA Transport

In eukaryotes, transcription and translation are compartmentalized; an mRNA is first synthesized in the nucleus and then selectively transported to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis. Before transport, a pre-mRNA undergoes several steps of post-transcriptional modifications including splicing, 5' capping, and the addition of a poly-adenine tail. Various proteins bind to the pre-mRNA during these modifications. The mRNA transport takes place with the help of multiple proteins playing specific...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Regulation of the microprocessor by post-translational modifications.

Frontiers in cell and developmental biology·2025

Same author

Unexpected heterogeneity and tissue-specific properties of the thymic hematopoietic antigen-presenting cell network.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2025

Same author

Regulation of actin cytoskeletal dynamics in T cell development and function.

Frontiers in immunology·2025

Same author

Evaluating <i>in vivo</i> approaches for studying the roles of thymic DCs in T cell development in mice.

Frontiers in immunology·2024

Same author

Non-canonical RNA substrates of Drosha lack many of the conserved features found in primary microRNA stem-loops.

Scientific reports·2024

Same author

Distinct subpopulations of DN1 thymocytes exhibit preferential γδ T lineage potential.

Frontiers in immunology·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 28, 2026

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

Published on: August 21, 2019

Many routes to a micro RNA.

Janet H C Yeo¹, Mark M W Chong

¹The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia.

|October 28, 2011

Summary

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules regulating gene expression. This review explores alternative miRNA biogenesis pathways and non-miRNA functions of miRNA machinery in animals.

Area of Science:

Molecular Biology
Genetics
Biochemistry

Background:

Micro RNAs (miRNAs) are key posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression.
Thousands of miRNAs have been identified in metazoan and plant kingdoms.
Canonical miRNA biogenesis is well-established, but noncanonical pathways exist.

Purpose of the Study:

To review alternate small RNA biogenesis pathways.
To discuss recent discoveries of non-miRNA functions for miRNA biogenesis machinery.
Focus on metazoan pathways.

Main Methods:

Literature review of scientific publications.
Synthesis of current research on miRNA biogenesis.
Analysis of noncanonical small RNA pathways.

More Related Videos

Highly Efficient Ligation of Small RNA Molecules for MicroRNA Quantitation by High-Throughput Sequencing

Highly Efficient Ligation of Small RNA Molecules for MicroRNA Quantitation by High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: November 18, 2014

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

Published on: April 25, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 28, 2026

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

A Complete Pipeline for Isolating and Sequencing MicroRNAs, and Analyzing Them Using Open Source Tools

Published on: August 21, 2019

Highly Efficient Ligation of Small RNA Molecules for MicroRNA Quantitation by High-Throughput Sequencing

Highly Efficient Ligation of Small RNA Molecules for MicroRNA Quantitation by High-Throughput Sequencing

Published on: November 18, 2014

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

CRISPR Gene Editing Tool for MicroRNA Cluster Network Analysis

Published on: April 25, 2022

Main Results:

Identification and characterization of numerous noncanonical miRNAs.
Discovery of novel small RNAs beyond canonical miRNAs.
Emerging evidence for non-miRNA roles of miRNA biogenesis factors.

Conclusions:

Metazoans exhibit diverse small RNA biogenesis pathways beyond the canonical miRNA route.
The miRNA biogenesis machinery has evolved non-miRNA functions.
Further research is needed to fully elucidate these alternate pathways and functions.