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

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

6.7K
The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
6.7K
Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing02:41

Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing

8.2K
In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
The chromatin structure, especially...
8.2K
Regulated mRNA Transport02:22

Regulated mRNA Transport

7.0K
In eukaryotes, transcription and translation are compartmentalized; an mRNA is first synthesized in the nucleus and then selectively transported to the cytoplasm for protein synthesis. Before transport, a pre-mRNA undergoes several steps of post-transcriptional modifications including splicing, 5' capping, and the addition of a poly-adenine tail. Various proteins bind to the pre-mRNA during these modifications. The mRNA transport takes place with the help of multiple proteins playing...
7.0K
Nuclear Export of mRNA02:31

Nuclear Export of mRNA

8.8K
Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...
8.8K
pre-mRNA Processing02:01

pre-mRNA Processing

57.5K
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...
57.5K
Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay02:27

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

11.8K
The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...
11.8K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

2'-O-methylation-dependent installation of N<sup>2</sup>-methylguanosine in the U6 internal stem loop facilitates efficient spliceosome assembly.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

RNA anchoring of Upf1 facilitates recruitment of Dcp2 in the NMD decapping complex.

Nucleic acids research·2025
Same author

Structure of the Nmd4-Upf1 complex supports conservation of the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay pathway between yeast and humans.

PLoS biology·2024
Same author

InsPection of electron density maps supports wrongly modeled hexakisphosphate (InsP6) bound to African swine fever mRNA-decapping enzyme g5Rp.

Journal of virology·2024
Same author

Best Practices of Using AI-Based Models in Crystallography and Their Impact in Structural Biology.

Journal of chemical information and modeling·2023
Same author

N 2-methylguanosine modifications on human tRNAs and snRNA U6 are important for cell proliferation, protein translation and pre-mRNA splicing.

Nucleic acids research·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Using In Vitro and In-cell SHAPE to Investigate Small Molecule Induced Pre-mRNA Structural Changes
11:58

Using In Vitro and In-cell SHAPE to Investigate Small Molecule Induced Pre-mRNA Structural Changes

Published on: January 30, 2019

8.8K

mRNA decapping: finding the right structures.

Clément Charenton1, Marc Graille2

  • 1Laboratoire de Biochimie, Ecole polytechnique, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91128 Palaiseau cedex, France.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|November 7, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

mRNA decapping, a key step in gene silencing, is performed by the Dcp1-Dcp2 enzyme complex. Recent structural studies reveal how activators help Dcp2 bind mRNA and become active, clarifying RNA decay pathways.

Keywords:
cap recognitionmRNA decappingmulti-protein complexes

More Related Videos

Measuring the Kinetics of mRNA Transcription in Single Living Cells
11:22

Measuring the Kinetics of mRNA Transcription in Single Living Cells

Published on: August 25, 2011

16.1K
mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts
12:29

mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts

Published on: July 28, 2017

9.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Feb 3, 2026

Using In Vitro and In-cell SHAPE to Investigate Small Molecule Induced Pre-mRNA Structural Changes
11:58

Using In Vitro and In-cell SHAPE to Investigate Small Molecule Induced Pre-mRNA Structural Changes

Published on: January 30, 2019

8.8K
Measuring the Kinetics of mRNA Transcription in Single Living Cells
11:22

Measuring the Kinetics of mRNA Transcription in Single Living Cells

Published on: August 25, 2011

16.1K
mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts
12:29

mRNA Interactome Capture from Plant Protoplasts

Published on: July 28, 2017

9.6K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Structural Biology

Background:

  • mRNA decapping is a crucial, regulated step in mRNA decay, removing the 5' cap to terminate translation.
  • The Dcp1-Dcp2 complex is the core enzyme responsible for decapping, but requires accessory proteins for full activity.
  • Understanding the structural basis of Dcp1-Dcp2 holoenzyme function is essential for comprehending mRNA regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent crystal structures of Dcp2 in complex with its partners.
  • To elucidate the mechanisms of Dcp2 recruitment to mRNA targets and substrate-induced activation.
  • To discuss the integrative structural biology approaches that defined the active Dcp1-Dcp2 holoenzyme structure.

Main Methods:

  • X-ray crystallography of Dcp2 domains bound to proteins and small molecules.
  • Integrative structural biology approaches.
  • Biochemistry and genetics studies.

Main Results:

  • Several crystal structures reveal how Dcp2 domains interact with activators and substrates.
  • These structures provide insights into mRNA target recruitment and conformational changes upon substrate binding.
  • Integrative approaches have resolved the structure of the active Dcp1-Dcp2 holoenzyme.

Conclusions:

  • Recent structural data significantly advances the understanding of Dcp1-Dcp2 holoenzyme function in mRNA decapping.
  • The findings clarify how accessory proteins facilitate Dcp2 activity and substrate recognition.
  • This work deepens our knowledge of RNA degradation pathways and their regulation.