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Related Concept Videos

RNA Editing02:23

RNA Editing

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RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...
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Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
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RNA Interference01:23

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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.
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RNA Structure01:23

RNA Structure

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The basic structure of RNA consists of a five-carbon sugar and one of four nitrogenous bases. Although most RNA is single-stranded, it can form complex secondary and tertiary structures. Such structures play essential roles in the regulation of transcription and translation.
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RNA Splicing01:32

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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...
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Identification of Footprints of RNA:Protein Complexes via RNA Immunoprecipitation in Tandem Followed by Sequencing (RIPiT-Seq)09:26

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Here, we present a protocol to enrich endogenous RNA binding sites or "footprints" of RNA:protein (RNP) complexes from mammalian cells. This approach involves two immunoprecipitations of RNP subunits and is therefore dubbed RNA immunoprecipitation in tandem...
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Updated: Jan 19, 2026

RNA Editing: Post-transcriptional Base Insertion, Deletion or Modification
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Can the RNA World Still Function without Cytidine?

Andrew S Tupper1, Ralph E Pudritz2, Paul G Higgs2

  • 1Origins Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

Molecular Biology and Evolution
|September 11, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The study suggests that a three-letter RNA alphabet (adenine, uracil, guanine) could support early life catalysis but faces replication challenges. Conserving guanine in prebiotic RNA is difficult, making the RNA World more complex than previously thought.

Keywords:
RNA WorldRNA secondary structurecytosine deaminationerror thresholdribozyme

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Identification of Footprints of RNA:Protein Complexes via RNA Immunoprecipitation in Tandem Followed by Sequencing RIPiT-Seq
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RNA Pull-down Procedure to Identify RNA Targets of a Long Non-coding RNA
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Area of Science:

  • Origin of Life research
  • Prebiotic chemistry
  • RNA biochemistry

Background:

  • RNA is hypothesized to be central to the origin of life, acting in catalysis and information storage.
  • Modern RNA uses four nucleobases (A, U, G, C), but cytosine (C) is unstable and absent in meteorites, suggesting prebiotic RNA might have lacked C.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the structural and genetic capabilities of a three-letter RNA alphabet (AUG) with the standard four-letter alphabet (AUGC).
  • To assess the feasibility of an RNA World using a limited alphabet for early life.

Main Methods:

  • Computational modeling and analysis of RNA sequences.
  • Assessing helix stability, structural diversity, and replication fidelity for AUG and AUGC alphabets.

Main Results:

  • The AUG alphabet can form diverse structures sufficient for catalysis, but requires longer sequences for equivalent complexity.
  • Replication in the AUG alphabet is hindered by low sequence fidelity, especially with guanine (G), and requires G-U pairing.
  • AUG sequences tend to evolve into AU or RU (R=A or G) sequences, making G conservation difficult.

Conclusions:

  • A three-letter AUG RNA alphabet is theoretically capable of supporting catalytic functions in the RNA World.
  • Significant challenges exist in sequence replication and stability with the AUG alphabet, particularly concerning guanine.
  • While not ruling out an AUG-based RNA World, it presents greater difficulties than a four-letter system.