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

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

6.0K
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...
6.0K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

24.2K
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...
24.2K
RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

6.4K
6.4K
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

13.4K
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...
13.4K
Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

6.5K
RNA interference (RNAi) is a cellular mechanism that inhibits gene expression by suppressing its transcription or activating the RNA degradation process. The mechanism was discovered by Andrew Fire and Craig Mello in 1998 in plants. Today, it is observed in almost all eukaryotes, including protozoa, flies, nematodes, insects, parasites, and mammals. This precise cellular mechanism of gene silencing has been developed into a technique that provides an efficient way to identify and determine the...
6.5K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

3.0K
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...
3.0K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

AMPK tunes reproductive gene expression and small RNA homeostasis to mediate timely germ cell development.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

A titin truncating variant linked to atrial fibrillation increases atrial profibrotic signalling and cholinergic sensitivity.

Cardiovascular research·2026
Same author

A SET domain-containing protein and HCF-1 maintain transgenerational epigenetic memory.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

High-quality mouse reference genomes reveal the structural complexity of the murine protein-coding landscape.

Cell genomics·2025
Same author

Compensatory tRNA Modification by DUS3L Confers Resistance to METTL1 Loss in Oesophageal Cancer.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025
Same author

Transposable Elements Drive Regulatory and Functional Innovation of F-box Genes.

Molecular biology and evolution·2025
Same journal

Expanding the C. elegans toolkit with gonad explants.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

Nuclear Factor Y controls nutrient-adaptive epithelial growth by regulating mTOR in the Drosophila midgut.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

Primordial germ cells differentially contribute to the germline in zebrafish.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

Dissecting planar and vertical organiser signals in early chick neural development.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

Real-time transcriptomic profiling of hPSC-derived cartilage during development identifies a key role for the extracellular matrix in homeostasis and protection.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same journal

In preprints - housekeeping the housekeeping genes.

Development (Cambridge, England)·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 24, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism
09:05

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

Published on: February 6, 2017

7.1K

piRNAs: from biogenesis to function.

Eva-Maria Weick1, Eric A Miska2

  • 1Wellcome Trust Cancer Research UK Gurdon Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK.

Development (Cambridge, England)
|September 4, 2014
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) protect germlines from mobile DNA. This review covers piRNA biogenesis, gene regulation, and transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, advancing our understanding of germline integrity.

Keywords:
PiwiTransgenerational epigenetic inheritancepiRNA biogenesispiRNA-mediated transcriptional repressionpiRNAs

More Related Videos

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions
10:27

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions

Published on: October 21, 2022

1.9K
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

1.4K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 24, 2026

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism
09:05

MicroRNA-based Regulation of Picornavirus Tropism

Published on: February 6, 2017

7.1K
In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions
10:27

In Silico Identification and Characterization of circRNAs During Host-Pathogen Interactions

Published on: October 21, 2022

1.9K
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

1.4K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Epigenetics

Background:

  • Self-non-self discrimination is vital for germline integrity in metazoa.
  • Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are key regulators of transposable elements in the germline.
  • Emerging evidence suggests piRNAs also play roles in broader gene regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advances in understanding piRNA function.
  • To highlight variations in piRNA biogenesis across different organisms.
  • To discuss piRNA mechanisms in transcriptional regulation and epigenetic inheritance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent research on piRNA biology.
  • Comparative analysis of piRNA biogenesis pathways.
  • Examination of molecular mechanisms underlying piRNA action.

Main Results:

  • PiRNA pathways are diverse, with significant differences in biogenesis across species.
  • PiRNAs are crucial for repressing transposable elements, maintaining germline genome stability.
  • PiRNAs are implicated in regulating gene expression and facilitating transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.

Conclusions:

  • PiRNA research has significantly advanced our understanding of germline defense and epigenetic regulation.
  • Further investigation into piRNA diversity and mechanisms will illuminate fundamental biological processes.
  • PiRNAs represent a critical nexus between genome defense, gene regulation, and inheritance.