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

Non-LTR Retrotransposons03:18

Non-LTR Retrotransposons

11.4K
As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
11.4K
LTR Retrotransposons03:08

LTR Retrotransposons

17.4K
LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
17.4K
DNA-only Transposons02:57

DNA-only Transposons

14.4K
DNA-only transposons are called autonomous transposons since they code for the enzyme transposase that is required for the transposition mechanism. Insertion of transposons can alter gene functions in multiple ways. They can mutate the gene, alter gene expression by introducing a novel promoter or insulator sequence, introduce new splice sites, and change the mRNA transcripts produced, or remodel chromatin structure.
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
14.4K
Overview of Transposition and Recombination02:13

Overview of Transposition and Recombination

15.4K
Transposons make up a significant part of genomes of various organisms. Therefore, it is believed that transposition played a major evolutionary role in speciation by changing genome sizes and modifying gene expression patterns. For example, in bacteria, transposition can lead to conferring antibiotic resistance. Movement of transposable elements within the genetic pool of pathogenic bacteria can aid in transfer of antibiotic-resistant genetic elements. In eukaryotes, transposons can carry out...
15.4K
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs

6.8K
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...
6.8K
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs02:30

siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs

16.7K
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...
16.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

CAST controls presynaptic sequestration of Rab6 in neurons.

Molecular brain·2026
Same author

Antagonistic histone H2A variants and autonomous heterochromatin formation shape epigenomic patterns in Arabidopsis.

Nature communications·2026
Same author

Triploidy is prominent in the duckweed Lemna minor complex.

Communications biology·2026
Same author

MBD8 is required for LDL2-mediated transcriptional repression downstream of H3K9me2 in Arabidopsis.

Nucleic acids research·2026
Same author

Evaluating surgeons' stress using heart rate variability during minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer: a single-center prospective cohort study.

Langenbeck's archives of surgery·2026
Same author

Double origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery dissection causing subarachnoid hemorrhage with pathological confirmation: illustrative case.

Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
11:52

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Published on: April 23, 2016

8.4K

Retrotransposon addiction promotes centromere function via epigenetically activated small RNAs.

Atsushi Shimada1, Jonathan Cahn1, Evan Ernst1

  • 1Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA.

Nature Plants
|September 2, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Centromeric retrotransposons in Arabidopsis are essential for chromosome segregation. Epigenetically activated small RNAs, dependent on DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1), maintain centromere function and prevent developmental defects.

More Related Videos

RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
11:04

RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level

Published on: May 19, 2019

9.9K
Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR
10:54

Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR

Published on: July 27, 2019

8.6K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 14, 2025

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level
11:52

Analysis of LINE-1 Retrotransposition at the Single Nucleus Level

Published on: April 23, 2016

8.4K
RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
11:04

RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level

Published on: May 19, 2019

9.9K
Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR
10:54

Detection of Retrotransposition Activity of Hot LINE-1s by Long-Distance Inverse PCR

Published on: July 27, 2019

8.6K

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Centromeric retrotransposons play a role in eukaryotic centromere evolution.
  • The function of centromeric retrotransposons, particularly in centromere function, remains largely unknown.
  • In Arabidopsis, centromeric ATHILA retrotransposons generate small interfering RNAs in mutants lacking DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of centromeric retrotransposons and small RNAs in centromere function and chromosome segregation.
  • To elucidate the interplay between DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in maintaining genome stability.
  • To understand the epigenetic inheritance of centromeric defects.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of mutants lacking DDM1 and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase.
  • Observation of chromosome segregation during mitosis.
  • Epigenetic rescue experiments using artificial small RNAs targeting ATHILA5 retrotransposons.
  • Comparative analysis with fission yeast and human systems.

Main Results:

  • Mutants lacking both DDM1 and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase exhibit developmental defects and chromosome 5 mis-segregation.
  • Fertility and segregation defects are epigenetically inherited with centromere 5.
  • Artificial small RNAs targeting ATHILA5 retrotransposons can rescue these defects.
  • Epigenetically activated small RNAs are crucial for pericentromeric condensation, chromosome cohesion, and mitotic chromosome segregation.

Conclusions:

  • Centromeric ATHILA retrotransposons silence transcription while making centromere function reliant on retrotransposon small RNAs in the absence of DDM1.
  • This mechanism is conserved across eukaryotes, with parallels in yeast and human chromosome segregation.
  • Epigenetic regulation by small RNAs is vital for centromere integrity and genome stability.