Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Master Transcription Regulators

Master Transcription Regulators

Master transcription regulators are regulatory proteins that are predominantly responsible for regulating the expression of multiple genes. Often these genes work in concert to drive a complex process. Activation of a master transcription regulator can lead to a cascade of transcriptional activation necessary for that outcome. These regulators can directly bind to the regulatory sequences of the various genes involved, or they can indirectly regulate transcription by binding to regulatory...

RNA Stability

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...

Position-effect Variegation

Position-effect Variegation

In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

Maintenance of the ES Cell State

The cells of the blastocyst inner cell mass only remain pluripotent for a short time. This state of pluripotency and self-renewal can be maintained in embryonic stem (ES) cell culture by adding specific chemicals or growth factors to ensure the cells can continue dividing and later differentiate into different cell types. In some cases, the cells are grown on a feeder layer of differentiated cells, which provides the growth factors and extracellular matrix components necessary for stem cell...

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

Nonsense-mediated mRNA Decay

The Upf proteins that carry out nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) are found in all eukaryotic organisms, including humans. Each protein has an individual role, but they need to work in collaboration. Upf1 is an ATP-dependent RNA helicase that unwinds the RNA helix. Because Upf1 can unwind any RNA, Upf2 and Upf3 are required to help Upf1 discriminate between nonsense and normal mRNAs.
Usually, Upf3 binds to an Exon Junction Complex (EJC) at mRNA splice sites. If a ribosome fully translates the mRNA,...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Bone marrow immunosuppressive states associate with survival after guadecitabine and atezolizumab therapy in HMA-R/R MDS.

Blood neoplasia·2026

Same author

Integrated proteogenomic and metabolomic profiling of acute myeloid leukemias to identify molecular subtypes and associated therapy targets.

Nature cancer·2026

Same author

Chronic High-Fat Diet Does Not Alter Overall Cancer Incidence in Trp53R270H/+ Mice.

Cancer research communications·2026

Same author

Matrix and stromal cues cooperatively regulate dormancy-like states of prostate cancer in a dual-niche metastatic model.

Clinical & experimental metastasis·2026

Same author

A 15-layer multi-omics analysis of gastric cancer ecotypes provides therapeutic insights.

Cell reports. Medicine·2026

Same author

Loss of ZNRF3/RNF43 unleashes EGFR in cancer.

eLife·2026

Same journal

A pore-facing glycan constrains GABA<sub>A</sub> receptor subunit stoichiometry and gating behavior.

Communications biology·2026

Same journal

Resorantel: a dual-targeting therapeutic with potent efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus with low potential for drug resistance.

Communications biology·2026

Same journal

Rise and subsequent fall in neuro-behavioral coupling during learning a skilled reaching task is revealed by generative AI.

Communications biology·2026

Same journal

Neural effects of expectation violation generalise across sensory modalities.

Communications biology·2026

Same journal

Contraction, recombination and innovation shape the dynamic pan-plastome of Astragalus sinicus.

Communications biology·2026

Same journal

Electric fields trigger ceramide-dependent vesicle budding and boost the generation of small extracellular vesicles.

Communications biology·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

Dnmt3a2 expression during embryonic development is required for phenotypic stability.

Minmin Liu¹, Guillermo Urrutia¹, Rachel Shereda¹

¹Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.

Communications Biology

|December 7, 2025

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

The de novo methyltransferases Dnmt3a1 and Dnmt3a2 have distinct roles in vertebrate development. Dnmt3a2 is crucial for maintaining DNA methylation at regulatory elements, preventing developmental abnormalities and infertility.

More Related Videos

A Reverse Genetic Approach to Test Functional Redundancy During Embryogenesis

A Reverse Genetic Approach to Test Functional Redundancy During Embryogenesis

Published on: August 11, 2010

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Published on: June 6, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 9, 2026

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images

Published on: September 7, 2017

A Reverse Genetic Approach to Test Functional Redundancy During Embryogenesis

A Reverse Genetic Approach to Test Functional Redundancy During Embryogenesis

Published on: August 11, 2010

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Loss- and Gain-of-function Approach to Investigate Early Cell Fate Determinants in Preimplantation Mouse Embryos

Published on: June 6, 2016

Area of Science:

Developmental Biology
Epigenetics
Genetics

Background:

DNA methylation is vital for vertebrate development, regulating gene expression through DNA methyltransferases.
Proper function of regulatory elements, like enhancers, depends on precise DNA methylation patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the distinct roles of de novo methyltransferase isoforms, Dnmt3a1 and Dnmt3a2, in embryogenesis and postnatal development.
To understand how these enzymes regulate DNA methylation in key genomic regions.

Main Methods:

Isoform-specific knockout mouse models for Dnmt3a1 and Dnmt3a2 were generated.
DNA methylation patterns were analyzed across the genome, focusing on enhancers, CTCF sites, and imprinted genes.

Main Results:

Dnmt3a1 knockout mice exhibited postnatal lethality and reduced size with minimal embryonic methylation loss.
Dnmt3a2 knockout mice showed widespread hypomethylation at regulatory elements, leading to developmental abnormalities and male infertility, though some methylation was repaired postnatally.
Fertile Dnmt3a2 knockout males produced sperm with imprinting defects.

Conclusions:

Dnmt3a1 and Dnmt3a2 possess distinct, developmentally regulated functions in maintaining DNA methylation.
Dnmt3a2 is essential for the methylation of regulatory elements, particularly enhancers and imprinted genes, and for preventing post-natal developmental defects and infertility.