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...

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...

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

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...

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

A multi-omics approach to maize (Zea mays) tassel development.

BMC plant biology·2026

Same author

Recent Advances in Atomic-Resolution NMR Investigations of Monoclonal Antibodies.

Biomolecules·2026

Same author

A long-distance signaling loop promotes soybean nodulation and productivity.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026

Same author

Stage-Specific RNA Turnover Drives Small RNA Dynamics in <i>Arabidopsis</i>-<i>Colletotrichum</i> Interactions.

Plant direct·2026

Same author

Methyl-specific NMR of therapeutic antibodies: cost-effective isotopic labeling strategies in CHO cells for high-resolution structural characterization.

Journal of biomolecular NMR·2026

Same author

Holding but not folding: How a single charge flip uncouples the DNAJC7-Hsp70 relay in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The FEBS journal·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 8, 2026

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

Multiple RNA recognition patterns during microRNA biogenesis in plants.

Nicolás G Bologna¹, Arnaldo L Schapire, Jixian Zhai

¹IBR (Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario), CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, 2000 Rosario, Argentina;

Genome Research

|August 31, 2013

Summary

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are processed via four distinct mechanisms, revealing specific structural features that explain precursor diversity. This study uncovers complex biogenesis pathways for conserved plant small RNAs.

More Related Videos

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

Published on: July 11, 2020

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

Published on: January 21, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 8, 2026

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation

Published on: May 1, 2021

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

RNA Blot Analysis for the Detection and Quantification of Plant MicroRNAs

Published on: July 11, 2020

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

A Bioinformatics Pipeline to Accurately and Efficiently Analyze the MicroRNA Transcriptomes in Plants

Published on: January 21, 2020

Area of Science:

Plant molecular biology
RNA biology
Genetics

Background:

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulatory molecules derived from precursor structures.
Unlike homogenous animal miRNA precursors, plant precursors exhibit diverse fold-back structures.
Understanding plant miRNA biogenesis is key to deciphering gene regulation in plants.

Purpose of the Study:

To systematically analyze miRNA processing intermediates in Arabidopsis thaliana.
To characterize the biogenesis mechanisms of evolutionarily conserved plant miRNAs.
To explain the structural diversity of plant miRNA precursors.

Main Methods:

Development of a novel approach for systematic analysis of miRNA processing intermediates.
Classification of miRNA precursors based on their processing mechanisms.
Identification of structural determinants associated with each processing pathway.

Main Results:

Identified four distinct miRNA processing mechanisms in plants, dependent on machinery direction and cut number.
Found specific structural determinants correlating with each processing mechanism.
Observed that miRNA processing complexity exists in both ancient and young sequences.
Demonstrated that members of the same miRNA family can be processed differently.
Showed that alternative miRNAs can arise from a single precursor due to competing structural determinants.

Conclusions:

The study provides a mechanistic explanation for the structural diversity of plant miRNA precursors.
Uncovered complex and varied pathways for plant miRNA biogenesis.
Offers new insights into the evolution and regulation of small RNAs in plants.