Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Experimental RNAi02:15

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...
RNA Interference01:23

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...
In-vitro Mutagenesis01:16

In-vitro Mutagenesis

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or “knocked out,” by creating genetically engineered knockout animals. Knockout mice have been particularly useful as models for human diseases such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

Small interfering RNAs, or siRNAs, are short regulatory RNA molecules that can silence genes post-transcriptionally, as well as the transcriptional level in some cases. siRNAs are important for protecting cells against viral infections and silencing transposable genetic elements.
In the cytoplasm, siRNA is processed from a double-stranded RNA, which comes from either endogenous DNA transcription or exogenous sources like a virus. This double-stranded RNA is then cleaved by the ATP-dependent...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Regulatory genome annotation of 33 insect species.

eLife·2024
Same author

A new suite of reporter vectors and a novel landing site survey system to study cis-regulatory elements in diverse insect species.

Scientific reports·2024
Same author

Transcriptomic exploration of the Coleopteran wings reveals insight into the evolution of novel structures associated with the beetle elytron.

Journal of experimental zoology. Part B, Molecular and developmental evolution·2023
Same author

Broad complex and wing development in cockroaches.

Insect biochemistry and molecular biology·2022
Same author

Butterfly eyespots evolved via cooption of an ancestral gene-regulatory network that also patterns antennae, legs, and wings.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2022
Same author

Breaking bad in the rice field by breaking the Hox code.

National science review·2021
Same journal

Mapping the 3D Chromosome Organization of a Biosynthetic Gene Cluster by Capture Hi-C (CHi-C).

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Mapping the 3D Chromosome Organization of Streptomyces by Hi-C.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

CUT&Tag Epigenomic Profiling of Biosynthetic Gene Clusters in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Rhizobium rhizogenes-Mediated Hairy Root Transformation Protocol for Lotus japonicus and Other Legumes.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Characterization of Bioactive Saponins from Sea Cucumbers.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
Same journal

Methods for Functional Validation of Terpenoid Metabolic Clusters in Nicotiana benthamiana and Aspergillus oryzae.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 27, 2026

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus
09:57

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus

Published on: December 28, 2016

Gene knockdown analysis by double-stranded RNA injection.

Benjamin N Philip1, Yoshinori Tomoyasu

  • 1Department of Biology, Rivier College, Nashua, NH, USA.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)
|November 9, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

RNA interference (RNAi) allows gene function analysis in difficult-to-study organisms. This chapter details simple double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injection methods for the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, aiding evolutionary genetics research.

More Related Videos

RNA Interference in Aquatic Beetles as a Powerful Tool for Manipulating Gene Expression at Specific Developmental Time Points
08:55

RNA Interference in Aquatic Beetles as a Powerful Tool for Manipulating Gene Expression at Specific Developmental Time Points

Published on: May 29, 2020

RNAi Interference by dsRNA Injection into Drosophila Embryos
08:30

RNAi Interference by dsRNA Injection into Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 11, 2011

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 27, 2026

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus
09:57

Rearing and Double-stranded RNA-mediated Gene Knockdown in the Hide Beetle, Dermestes maculatus

Published on: December 28, 2016

RNA Interference in Aquatic Beetles as a Powerful Tool for Manipulating Gene Expression at Specific Developmental Time Points
08:55

RNA Interference in Aquatic Beetles as a Powerful Tool for Manipulating Gene Expression at Specific Developmental Time Points

Published on: May 29, 2020

RNAi Interference by dsRNA Injection into Drosophila Embryos
08:30

RNAi Interference by dsRNA Injection into Drosophila Embryos

Published on: April 11, 2011

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Genetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • RNA Interference (RNAi)

Background:

  • RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool for analyzing gene function, especially in organisms where traditional genetic methods are challenging.
  • The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is increasingly utilized in evolutionary genetics due to the accessibility of RNAi techniques.
  • Understanding loss-of-function phenotypes is crucial for evolutionary studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a detailed protocol for applying RNA interference (RNAi) via double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injection in Tribolium castaneum.
  • To describe the necessary procedures for dsRNA synthesis, injection apparatus setup, and validation methods.
  • To offer insights applicable to RNAi implementation in other species.

Main Methods:

  • Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) synthesis and purification.
  • Microinjection techniques for dsRNA delivery into Tribolium castaneum.
  • Validation of RNAi efficacy using real-time PCR and western blot analyses.

Main Results:

  • Successful implementation of a straightforward dsRNA injection method for Tribolium castaneum.
  • Established protocols for dsRNA synthesis and validation of gene silencing.
  • Demonstrated the utility of RNAi in facilitating loss-of-function studies in this model organism.

Conclusions:

  • Simple dsRNA injection is an effective method for RNA interference in Tribolium castaneum, significantly advancing its use in evolutionary genetics.
  • The described molecular biology and injection techniques are adaptable for RNAi applications in various other organisms.
  • This chapter serves as a practical guide for researchers utilizing RNAi in insect models.