Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2025

A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells
Published on: June 16, 2022
The Integrator complex regulates microRNA abundance through RISC loading
Nina Kirstein1, Sadat Dokaneheifard1, Pradeep Reddy Cingaram1
1Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1501 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
Abstract:
MicroRNA (miRNA) homeostasis is crucial for the posttranscriptional regulation of their target genes during development and in disease states. miRNAs are derived from primary transcripts and are processed from a hairpin precursor intermediary to a mature 22-nucleotide duplex RNA. Loading of the duplex into the Argonaute (AGO) protein family is pivotal to miRNA abundance and its posttranscriptional function. The Integrator complex plays a key role in protein coding and noncoding RNA maturation, RNA polymerase II pause-release, and premature transcriptional termination. Here, we report that loss of Integrator results in global destabilization of mature miRNAs. Enhanced ultraviolet cross-linking and immunoprecipitation of Integrator uncovered an association with duplex miRNAs before their loading onto AGOs. Tracing miRNA fate from biogenesis to stabilization by incorporating 4-thiouridine in nascent transcripts pinpointed a critical role for Integrator in miRNA assembly into AGOs.
Related Concept Videos
MicroRNAs
RNA Interference
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...
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
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...
Experimental RNAi
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response

