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

The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR01:23

The Antiviral System of Bacteria and Archaea: CRISPR

1.1K
CRISPR stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats is a adaptive immune system found in bacteria and archaea that protects against viral infections. This system enables prokaryotic cells to identify, remember, and neutralize foreign genetic elements, primarily bacteriophages, by storing fragments of the invader’s DNA as a genetic memory.The CRISPR immune response begins during an initial infection. Cas (CRISPR-associated) proteins play a central role in this...
1.1K
CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing01:28

CRISPR/Cas9 Genome Editing

3.2K
The CRISPR-Cas system serves as a bacterial defense mechanism against invading genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids, forming the foundation for its adaptation as a powerful genome-editing tool. Originally discovered in prokaryotes, this system has been repurposed to revolutionize genetic engineering across a wide range of organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. The core component, Cas9, is an endonuclease derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, capable of introducing...
3.2K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

24.4K
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...
24.4K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

6.4K
6.4K
CRISPR and crRNAs02:53

CRISPR and crRNAs

14.6K
Bacteria and archaea are susceptible to viral infections just like eukaryotes; therefore, they have developed a unique adaptive immune system to protect themselves. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) are present in more than 45% of known bacteria and 90% of known archaea.
The CRISPR-Cas system stores a copy of foreign DNA in the host genome and uses it to identify the foreign DNA upon reinfection. CRISPR-Cas has three different...
14.6K
CRISPR01:59

CRISPR

46.6K
Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism’s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific genomic locations. These types of techniques could potentially be used to cure genetic disorders such as hemophilia and sickle cell anemia. One popular and widely used DNA-editing research tool that could lead to safe and effective cures for genetic disorders is the CRISPR-Cas9 system. CRISPR-Cas9 stands for Clustered Regularly Interspaced...
46.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Innate immune signalling in the adipocyte.

Journal of biochemistry·2026
Same author

Cell-Autonomous and Systemic Circadian Regulation of Gene Expression in Adipocytes.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Functional insight into cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)7 via chemical inhibition of the priority fungal pathogen <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>.

mBio·2025
Same author

CRISPR/Cas9-compatible plasmids enabling seven dominant genetic selection methods for the human fungal pathogen <i>Cryptococcus neoformans</i>.

Microbiology spectrum·2025
Same author

Cardiac adaptation to endurance exercise training requires suppression of GDF15 via PGC-1α.

Nature cardiovascular research·2025
Same author

POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME: ORIGINS AND IMPLICATIONS: Gestational anti-Müllerian hormone and testosterone excess combined with maternal adiposity program for polycystic ovary syndrome.

Reproduction (Cambridge, England)·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 5, 2026

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
07:23

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

1.3K

Recognizing the enemy within: licensing RNA-guided genome defense.

Phillip A Dumesic1, Hiten D Madhani1

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.

Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|November 28, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Cells identify transposons by recognizing their abnormal RNA and DNA features, triggering RNA silencing pathways. This genome defense mechanism distinguishes foreign genetic elements from normal genes.

Keywords:
PIWI-interacting RNARNAigenome defensesmall RNAsmall interfering RNAtransposon

More Related Videos

CIRCLE-Seq for Interrogation of Off-Target Gene Editing
08:23

CIRCLE-Seq for Interrogation of Off-Target Gene Editing

Published on: November 1, 2024

1.8K
Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen for Unveiling Radiosensitive and Radioresistant Genes
08:32

Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen for Unveiling Radiosensitive and Radioresistant Genes

Published on: May 23, 2025

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 5, 2026

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells
07:23

Dual CRISPR-Interference Strategy for Targeting Synthetic Lethal Interactions Between Non-Coding RNAs in Cancer Cells

Published on: May 30, 2025

1.3K
CIRCLE-Seq for Interrogation of Off-Target Gene Editing
08:23

CIRCLE-Seq for Interrogation of Off-Target Gene Editing

Published on: November 1, 2024

1.8K
Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen for Unveiling Radiosensitive and Radioresistant Genes
08:32

Genome-Wide CRISPR Screen for Unveiling Radiosensitive and Radioresistant Genes

Published on: May 23, 2025

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • RNA silencing pathways are crucial for genome defense against mobile genetic elements like transposons.
  • The precise mechanisms by which cells differentiate self (normal genes) from non-self (transposons) remain incompletely understood.
  • Small interfering RNA (siRNA) biogenesis is a key component of RNA silencing.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms cells employ to distinguish transposons from endogenous genes.
  • To identify the specific signals and pathways that lead to transposon-targeted RNA silencing.
  • To understand how suboptimal gene expression properties of transposons are recognized.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) structures arising from transposon-specific features.
  • Investigation of DNA-level characteristics of transposons, including copy number, chromosomal location, and chromatin state.
  • Examination of aberrant RNA processing events, such as pre-mRNA splicing, as triggers for siRNA production.

Main Results:

  • Transposon-derived dsRNA structures, originating from inverted repeats or antisense integrations, can initiate siRNA biogenesis.
  • Specific DNA features of transposons, like high copy number and altered chromatin, facilitate their recognition by silencing pathways.
  • Improper transcript processing, including stalled splicing, serves as a signal for siRNA production against transposons.

Conclusions:

  • Cells utilize multiple strategies to detect and silence transposons, leveraging both RNA and DNA characteristics.
  • Suboptimal gene expression and aberrant molecular signatures of transposons are key identifiers for RNA silencing machinery.
  • These integrated surveillance mechanisms effectively protect the genome from the disruptive potential of selfish genetic elements.