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Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs01:22

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...
MicroRNAs01:22

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...
MicroRNAs01:22

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...
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

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...
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...
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...

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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
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Evidence for a cytoplasmic microprocessor of pri-miRNAs.

Jillian S Shapiro1, Ryan A Langlois, Alissa M Pham

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York 10029, USA.

RNA (New York, N.Y.)
|May 29, 2012
PubMed
Summary

Virus infection triggers Drosha enzyme relocation to the cytoplasm, enabling the processing of viral microRNAs (miRNAs) without affecting host miRNAs. This reveals a novel cytoplasmic function for Drosha in viral RNA processing.

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Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology
  • RNA Biology

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression via post-transcriptional silencing.
  • Canonical miRNA biogenesis initiates in the nucleus with the microprocessor complex.
  • Noncanonical miRNA biogenesis pathways, including cytoplasmic processing, are less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the molecular mechanisms and components involved in processing virus-derived cytoplasmic primary miRNAs (c-pri-miRNAs).
  • To investigate the role of Drosha, a nuclear RNase III enzyme, in cytoplasmic miRNA processing during viral infection.

Main Methods:

  • RNA in situ hybridization to visualize RNA localization.
  • Inhibition of cellular division to assess nuclear involvement.
  • Genetic studies to determine enzyme dependencies.
  • Deep sequencing to analyze miRNA profiles.

Main Results:

  • Virus infection induced Drosha relocalization from the nucleus to the cytoplasm.
  • c-pri-miRNA processing occurred independently of nuclear involvement but required Drosha.
  • Cytoplasmic Drosha facilitated robust viral miRNA synthesis without altering endogenous miRNA levels.

Conclusions:

  • Drosha exhibits a novel cytoplasmic function in processing viral-derived, highly structured RNAs during infection.
  • This noncanonical pathway allows for efficient viral miRNA production in the cytoplasm.