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

pre-mRNA Processing02:01

pre-mRNA Processing

57.3K
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...
57.3K
RNA Splicing01:32

RNA Splicing

60.5K
Splicing is the process by which eukaryotic RNA is edited before its translation into protein. The RNA strand transcribed from eukaryotic DNA is called the primary transcript. The primary transcripts that become mRNAs are called precursor messenger RNAs (pre-mRNAs). Eukaryotic pre-mRNA contains alternating sequences of exons and introns. Exons are nucleotide sequences that code for proteins, whereas introns are the non-coding regions. In RNA splicing, introns are removed and exons are bonded...
60.5K
Alternative RNA Splicing02:18

Alternative RNA Splicing

24.8K
Alternative RNA splicing is the regulated splicing of exons and introns to produce different mature mRNAs from a single pre-mRNA. Unlike in constitutive splicing where a single gene produces a single type of mRNA, alternative splicing allows an organism to produce multiple proteins from a single gene and plays an important role in protein diversity.
There are five types of alternative RNA splicing that vary in the ways the pre-mRNA segments are removed or retained in the mature mRNA. The first...
24.8K
Ribozymes02:47

Ribozymes

13.4K
The term ribozyme is used for RNA that can act as an enzyme. Ribozymes are mainly found in selected viruses, bacteria, plant organelles, and lower eukaryotes. Ribozymes were first discovered in 1982 when Tom Cech’s laboratory observed Group I introns acting as enzymes. This was shortly followed by the discovery of another ribozyme, Ribonulcease P, by Sid Altman’s laboratory. Both Cech and Altman received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1989 for their work on ribozymes.
Ribozymes can...
13.4K
Organization of Genes02:07

Organization of Genes

73.3K
Overview
73.3K
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

Remote and partial clocks expand the circadian neuronal network, driving widespread molecular rhythmicity in <i>Drosophila</i>.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Neuronal activity-dependent gene expression is stimulus-specific and changes with neuronal maturation.

Frontiers in molecular neuroscience·2025
Same author

Circular RNAs exhibit exceptional stability in the aging brain and serve as reliable age and experience indicators.

Cell reports·2025
Same author

Tissue-like multicellular development triggered by mechanical compression in archaea.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025
Same author

A brain-enriched circular RNA controls excitatory neurotransmission and restricts sensitivity to aversive stimuli.

Science advances·2024
Same author

In Vivo Tissue-Specific Knockdown of circRNAs Using shRNAs in Drosophila melanogaster.

Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 27, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
12:44

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats

Published on: November 4, 2011

13.8K

Craving for Introns.

Michela Zaffagni1, Sebastian Kadener1

  • 1Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA 02453, USA.

Molecular Cell
|March 23, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Certain introns in yeast function as non-coding RNAs, trapping the spliceosome and reducing global splicing during nutrient depletion. This finding reveals a novel role for introns, previously considered non-functional genetic material.

More Related Videos

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

17.7K
Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches
09:35

Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches

Published on: April 20, 2021

7.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 27, 2026

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
12:44

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats

Published on: November 4, 2011

13.8K
A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

17.7K
Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches
09:35

Analysis of Somatic Hypermutation in the JH4 intron of Germinal Center B cells from Mouse Peyer's Patches

Published on: April 20, 2021

7.3K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Yeast Genetics
  • RNA Biology

Background:

  • Introns were traditionally considered non-coding sequences with no known function.
  • Recent research suggests a more complex role for introns in gene regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional role of a subset of introns in yeast.
  • To explore the impact of these introns on cellular processes, specifically splicing, under nutrient stress.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized yeast models to study intron function.
  • Investigated the interaction between introns and the spliceosome.
  • Assessed global splicing efficiency under conditions of nutrient depletion.

Main Results:

  • Identified a subset of introns acting as non-coding RNAs.
  • Demonstrated that these introns can sequester the spliceosome.
  • Observed a decrease in global splicing rates upon nutrient depletion, mediated by these introns.

Conclusions:

  • Introns possess functional capabilities beyond their role in pre-mRNA processing.
  • These functional introns represent a novel mechanism for regulating gene expression and cellular response to environmental stress.
  • The findings challenge the long-held view of introns as mere "junk DNA".