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

pre-mRNA Processing02:01

pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl guanosine). This 5’ cap helps the...
Pre-mRNA Processing02:01

Pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a “cap” to the 5’ end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5’ phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached to it (7-Methyl guanosine). This 5’ cap helps the...
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

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
Ribosome Profiling02:24

Ribosome Profiling

Ribosome profiling or ribo-sequencing is a deep sequencing technique that produces a snapshot of active translation in a cell. It selectively sequences the mRNAs protected by ribosomes to get an insight into a cell’s translation landscape at any given point in time.
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique helps...
Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends01:35

Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps the cell...
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

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

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Small-Molecule Activation of mRNA Translation by Click-to-Release Reaction in Cells.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2026
Same author

Histidine methylation <i>via</i> an enzymatic cascade with <i>in situ</i> generation of nucleoside-modified AdoMet analogues.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

Probing three-dimensional cyclooctatetraene for nucleobase modification in aptamer selection.

Communications chemistry·2025
Same author

Structure-guided engineering of a polyphosphate kinase 2 class III from an <i>Erysipelotrichaceae</i> bacterium to produce base-modified purine nucleotides.

RSC chemical biology·2025
Same author

Light-controlled genome editing by activation of Cas9-mRNA translation.

Chemical science·2025
Same author

Quantification of Propargylated RNA Nucleosides After Metabolic Labeling Via the Methylation Pathway.

Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis
08:50

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis

Published on: May 14, 2020

The 5' Cap Epitranscriptome and Beyond: Natural and Engineered 5' Cap Modifications for Optimizing mRNA Therapeutics

Greta Charlotte Dahm1, Melissa Pieper2, Helena Schepers2

  • 1Department of Chemistry, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377, München, Germany.

Chemmedchem
|January 31, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are crucial for vaccines and therapies. Modifying their 5' cap structure enhances stability, translation, and reduces immune response, offering new therapeutic and research tools.

Keywords:
5′ capAdoMetRNA modificationsmRNAmethylation

More Related Videos

Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV
14:40

Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV

Published on: March 5, 2022

Enrichment of mRNA and Bisulfite-mRNA Library Preparation for Next-Generation Sequencing
06:57

Enrichment of mRNA and Bisulfite-mRNA Library Preparation for Next-Generation Sequencing

Published on: July 7, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis
08:50

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis

Published on: May 14, 2020

Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV
14:40

Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV

Published on: March 5, 2022

Enrichment of mRNA and Bisulfite-mRNA Library Preparation for Next-Generation Sequencing
06:57

Enrichment of mRNA and Bisulfite-mRNA Library Preparation for Next-Generation Sequencing

Published on: July 7, 2023

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Immunology
  • Biotechnology

Background:

  • Eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are vital for protein synthesis and therapeutic applications.
  • The 5' cap of mRNA is essential for its stability, translation initiation, and immune evasion.
  • The 'cap epitranscriptome' refers to natural modifications of the mRNA 5' cap, influencing its biological functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the impact of natural 5' cap modifications on mRNA properties.
  • To explore the use of non-natural 5' cap modifications for optimizing mRNA characteristics.
  • To highlight the potential of modified mRNA caps as tools for biological research and therapeutic development.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on mRNA 5' cap modifications.
  • Analysis of studies detailing the effects of natural and non-natural cap modifications on mRNA translation, immunogenicity, and stability.
  • Discussion of the application of modified mRNA caps in biotechnology and medicine.

Main Results:

  • Natural 5' cap modifications significantly influence mRNA translation efficiency, stability, and immunogenicity.
  • Non-natural 5' cap modifications can be strategically employed to fine-tune mRNA properties for specific applications.
  • Engineered mRNA caps can incorporate reactive handles for advanced research and therapeutic control.

Conclusions:

  • The mRNA 5' cap is a critical regulatory element that can be modified to enhance mRNA-based therapies and research tools.
  • Strategic manipulation of the mRNA cap epitranscriptome offers a powerful approach to optimize mRNA function.
  • Modified mRNA caps represent a versatile platform for developing next-generation vaccines, protein replacement therapies, and molecular probes.