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Related Concept Videos

MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

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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...
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MicroRNAs01:22

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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...
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RNA Interference01:23

RNA Interference

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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.
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...
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piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

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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...
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siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

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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.
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Experimental RNAi02:15

Experimental RNAi

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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...
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Updated: Dec 18, 2025

mirMachine: A One-Stop Shop for Plant miRNA Annotation
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Quo vadis microRNAs?

Bastian Fromm1, Andreas Keller2, Xiaozeng Yang3

  • 1Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.

Trends in Genetics : TIG
|June 17, 2020
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The miRBase online repository struggles to keep up with over 11,000 annual publications on microRNAs (miRNAs). Specialized databases now offer new opportunities for miRNA annotation and naming.

Keywords:
annotationdatabasemiRNAsnomenclaturenoncoding genes

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Area of Science:

  • Bioinformatics
  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • The miRBase online repository has been the primary source for collecting and naming published microRNAs (miRNAs) since 2002.
  • The exponential growth in miRNA publications, exceeding 11,000 annually, presents significant challenges for miRBase's annotation and nomenclature processes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the challenges faced by miRBase due to the increasing volume of miRNA research.
  • To introduce the emergence of specialized miRNA databases as a solution to address specific scientific community needs.
  • To discuss the future opportunities for miRNA annotation and nomenclature presented by these new developments.

Main Methods:

  • Review of the current state of miRNA databases and publication trends.
  • Analysis of the limitations of centralized miRNA repositories in handling large-scale data.
  • Identification and description of recently developed specialized miRNA databases.

Main Results:

  • miRBase faces scalability issues in managing the rapidly expanding miRNA publication landscape.
  • Four new specialized miRNA databases have been established, catering to diverse research requirements.
  • These specialized databases offer enhanced capabilities for miRNA annotation and nomenclature.

Conclusions:

  • The increasing number of miRNA publications necessitates a shift from a single centralized repository.
  • Specialized miRNA databases provide a more tailored and efficient approach to managing and annotating miRNA data.
  • This diversification in miRNA data management opens new avenues for accurate and comprehensive miRNA research.