Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2025
07:22
Protein Extract Preparation and Co-immunoprecipitation from Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: May 23, 2020
9.1K
Prokaryotic Argonaute Proteins as a Tool for Biotechnology
E V Kropocheva1, L A Lisitskaya1, A A Agapov1
1Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute", 123182 Moscow, Russia.
Molecular Biology
|September 5, 2022
Summary
Programmable nucleases, including Argonaute proteins, are key tools for gene editing. This review explores their pros and cons, highlighting Argonaute proteins
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biotechnology
Background:
- Programmable nucleases are essential for gene and genome manipulation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
- Various genome modification techniques have emerged since the late 20th century.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the advantages and disadvantages of current genetic editing tools.
- To focus on prokaryotic Argonaute proteins as a promising genome editing technology.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of established genetic editors.
- Detailed examination of Argonaute protein mechanisms and applications.
Main Results:
- Comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of major genome editing systems.
- Identification of Argonaute proteins' ability to target DNA via guide molecules.
- Recognition of Argonaute proteins' natural role in prokaryotic defense against foreign DNA.
Conclusions:
- Argonaute proteins offer a novel platform for targeted DNA cleavage and detection.
- Potential applications in biotechnology and advanced genome editing are significant.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
02:26Conservation of Protein Domains Over Different Proteins
11.2K
Protein domains are small structurally independent units that are part of a single amino acid chain. Although these domains are often structurally independent, they may rely on synergistic effects to perform their functions as part of a larger protein. Protein domains may be conserved within the same organism, as well as across different organisms.
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
A limited set of protein domains often duplicate and recombine during evolution. These domains can be organized in different combinations to...
11.2K
02:15Experimental RNAi
6.2K
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...
6.2K
02:30siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
16.9K
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...
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...
16.9K
01:23RNA Interference
26.3K
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...
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...
26.3K
02:57piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
7.0K
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...
7.0K
02:23RNA Editing
9.1K
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...
9.1K