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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...
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 ends...
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...
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...

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Updated: May 11, 2026

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells
06:48

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells

Published on: June 16, 2022

Enhanced microRNA accumulation through stemloop-adjacent introns.

Rebecca Schwab1, Corinna Speth, Sascha Laubinger

  • 1Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, UPR2357, Strasbourg 67084, France.

EMBO Reports
|May 11, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plant introns located 3' of microRNA (miRNA) stemloops enhance mature miRNA accumulation. This suggests a coordination between intron splicing and miRNA processing for regulating gene expression.

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Last Updated: May 11, 2026

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells
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MicroRNA Amplification and Recognition through Locked-nucleic-acid In situ Hybridization as a Novel Detection and Quantification Method
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mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
06:16

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Plant Science
  • Genetics

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of gene expression, derived from precursor RNAs.
  • Primary miRNA transcripts often contain introns, whose role in miRNA biogenesis is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of introns in plant microRNA biogenesis.
  • To elucidate the mechanism by which introns affect mature miRNA accumulation.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of primary miRNA transcripts and their intronic regions.
  • Investigating miRNA processing and stability in wild-type and mutant plants (e.g., dicer-like 1 mutants).

Main Results:

  • Introns situated 3' to the miRNA stemloop significantly promote mature miRNA accumulation.
  • Reduced miRNA production (in dicer-like 1 mutants) correlates with increased splicing of these promoter introns.
  • Alternative polyadenylation leading to intron-less miRNA transcripts may allow for differential miRNA level adjustment.

Conclusions:

  • Introns can act as positive regulators of mature miRNA levels in plants, likely impacting miRNA processing or stability.
  • Plant miRNA biogenesis exhibits tight physical and temporal coordination with intron splicing.
  • Alternative polyadenylation offers another layer of miRNA regulation, potentially enabling tissue-specific control.