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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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piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs02:57

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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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Transcriptional regulators bind to specific cis-regulatory sequences in the DNA to regulate gene transcription. These cis-regulatory sequences are very short, usually less than ten nucleotide pairs in length. The short length means that there is a high probability of the exact same sequence randomly occurring throughout the genome.  Since regulators can also bind to groups of similar sequences, this further increases the chances of random binding. Transcriptional regulators form...
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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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A Reporter Assay to Analyze Intronic microRNA Maturation in Mammalian Cells
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Form follows function - structural interplay between DCL1 and pri-miRNAs.

Cecile R Scholl1, Lars Grosch2, Jana Baradei3

  • 1Institute of Biology, Department of Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany.

Trends in Plant Science
|September 16, 2025
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are regulated by specific structural features in primary transcripts. Understanding these features and the DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1) complex interactions reveals plant-specific processing mechanisms.

Keywords:
DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1)RNA secondary structure (RSS)cryo-EMmiRNA biogenesispri-miRNA

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Area of Science:

  • Plant molecular biology
  • Gene regulation
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators of gene expression in plants, influencing development and environmental responses.
  • miRNA biogenesis involves a complex of proteins, including DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1), HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 (HYL1), and SERRATE (SE), interacting with primary miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs).
  • Structural features of pri-miRNAs are critical for their recognition and processing by the miRNA machinery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in understanding the structural determinants of pri-miRNA processing in plants.
  • To elucidate the molecular interactions within the miRNA processing complex (DCL1, HYL1, SE) and with pri-miRNAs.
  • To highlight plant-specific miRNA processing features distinct from animal systems.

Main Methods:

  • In vitro structural analyses of DCL1, HYL1, and SE proteins.
  • Examination of protein-protein and protein-RNA interactions within the miRNA processing complex.
  • Review of current literature on pri-miRNA structural features and processing.

Main Results:

  • High-resolution structural data reveal intricate interactions between DCL1, HYL1, SE, and pri-miRNAs.
  • Plant miRNA processing involves unique structural determinants not found in animals.
  • The structural insights provide a basis for understanding pathway regulation.

Conclusions:

  • Structural studies of the miRNA processing complex and pri-miRNAs offer unprecedented resolution into plant-specific mechanisms.
  • This knowledge opens new possibilities for manipulating miRNA pathways in plants.
  • Understanding these structural features can inform future applications in crop improvement via genome editing.