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

RNA Editing02:23

RNA Editing

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase00:43

Bacterial RNA Polymerase

Unlike eukaryotes, bacteria use a single RNA Polymerase (RNAP) to transcribe all genes. The different subunits of bacterial RNAPhave distinct functions. The multisubunit structure of the bacterial RNAP helps the enzyme to maintain catalytic function, facilitate assembly, interact with DNA and RNA, and self-regulate its activity.
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...
Bacterial Transcription01:53

Bacterial Transcription

RNA polymerase (RNAP) carries out DNA-dependent RNA synthesis in both bacteria and eukaryotes. Bacteria do not have a membrane-bound nucleus. So, transcription and translation occur simultaneously, on the same DNA template.
Transcription can be divided into three main stages, each involving distinct DNA sequences to guide the polymerase. These are:
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
pre-mRNA Processing02:01

pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl guanosine). This 5’ cap helps the...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

The mitochondrial proteome of diplonemids: from conventional pathways to eccentric RNA editing and transcript processing.

BMC genomics·2025
Same author

Miniature RNAs are embedded in an exceptionally protein-rich mitoribosome via an elaborate assembly pathway.

Nucleic acids research·2023
Same author

Recent expansion of metabolic versatility in Diplonema papillatum, the model species of a highly speciose group of marine eukaryotes.

BMC biology·2023
Same author

Chromosome-scale assemblies of <i>Acanthamoeba castellanii</i> genomes provide insights into <i>Legionella pneumophila</i> infection-related chromatin reorganization.

Genome research·2022
Same author

Analysis of diverse eukaryotes suggests the existence of an ancestral mitochondrial apparatus derived from the bacterial type II secretion system.

Nature communications·2021
Same author

Cryo-EM structure of the highly atypical cytoplasmic ribosome of Euglena gracilis.

Nucleic acids research·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 21, 2026

A Nonsequencing Approach for the Rapid Detection of RNA Editing
08:50

A Nonsequencing Approach for the Rapid Detection of RNA Editing

Published on: April 21, 2022

Evolutionary origin of RNA editing.

Michael W Gray1

  • 1Centre for Comparative Genomics and Evolutionary Bioinformatics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 4R2, Canada. m.w.gray@dal.ca

Biochemistry
|June 20, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

RNA editing modifies RNA sequences, with origins explained by constructive neutral evolution. This model suggests editing systems predate their functional necessity, allowing genomic mutations to persist.

More Related Videos

RNA Catalyst as a Reporter for Screening Drugs against RNA Editing in Trypanosomes
09:19

RNA Catalyst as a Reporter for Screening Drugs against RNA Editing in Trypanosomes

Published on: July 22, 2014

Identification of RNA Fragments Resulting from Enzymatic Degradation using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
09:20

Identification of RNA Fragments Resulting from Enzymatic Degradation using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Published on: April 11, 2022

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 21, 2026

A Nonsequencing Approach for the Rapid Detection of RNA Editing
08:50

A Nonsequencing Approach for the Rapid Detection of RNA Editing

Published on: April 21, 2022

RNA Catalyst as a Reporter for Screening Drugs against RNA Editing in Trypanosomes
09:19

RNA Catalyst as a Reporter for Screening Drugs against RNA Editing in Trypanosomes

Published on: July 22, 2014

Identification of RNA Fragments Resulting from Enzymatic Degradation using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry
09:20

Identification of RNA Fragments Resulting from Enzymatic Degradation using MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Published on: April 11, 2022

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • RNA editing encompasses diverse processes altering RNA nucleotide sequences compared to DNA.
  • Substitution and insertion/deletion are key RNA editing classes affecting messenger, ribosomal, and transfer RNA.
  • RNA editing can be essential for gene expression, such as creating translatable open reading frames.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the biochemistry, genetics, and phylogenetics of various RNA editing systems.
  • To explore the origins and evolution of RNA editing mechanisms.
  • To present an evolutionary model for the emergence of RNA editing.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on RNA editing biochemistry, genetics, and phylogenetics.
  • Analysis of molecular machinery to infer evolutionary origins.
  • Application of the "constructive neutral evolution" model.

Main Results:

  • RNA editing systems are mechanistically and phylogenetically diverse.
  • The "constructive neutral evolution" model provides a framework for understanding RNA editing origins.
  • RNA editing systems may arise before a functional requirement exists.

Conclusions:

  • The origin of RNA editing is linked to evolutionary processes where initial components precede functional necessity.
  • RNA editing allows for the persistence of genomic mutations that might otherwise be eliminated by selection.
  • Understanding RNA editing provides insights into the evolution of genetic information expression.