Dicer
Dicer - Related Videos
02:30
siRNA - Small Interfering RNAs
0 Views •
2020
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 ATP-dependent...
03:52
Intrathoracic Viral Nano-Injection to Study Host-Virus Interactions in Adult Flies
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2025
In this video, we describe a procedure to perform a nano-injection of a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus into adult male Drosophila flies and subsequently study the antiviral responses initiated due to the infection. Polymerase chain reaction analysis identifies the upregulation of specific genes in the infected flies that indicate the activation of immune response pathways including RNA interference and JAK/STAT signaling.
02:57
piRNA - Piwi-interacting RNAs
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2020
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...
01:23
RNA Interference
0 Views •
2019
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. 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...
07:27
High Throughput MicroRNA Profiling: Optimized Multiplex qRT-PCR at Nanoliter Scale on the Fluidigm Dynamic ArrayTM IFCs
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Cited by 13 •
2011
Here we describe an optimized multiplex reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) protocol in combination with a microfluidic platform as a cost and time effective high-throughput screening tool for microRNA (miRNA) expression levels, especially when working with limited amounts of sample.
FAQs
The characteristic two-nucleotide 3′ overhangs are a defining structural outcome of Dicer cleavage and help distinguish its processed RNA products from unprocessed double-stranded RNA. These short fragments can then associate with Argonaute proteins, linking the cleavage event to formation of RNA-induced silencing complexes. Their production therefore connects substrate processing with downstream regulatory activity.
Dicer-generated RNA fragments associate with Argonaute proteins to form RNA-induced silencing complexes. The resulting complexes use the small RNA products to recognize complementary target RNA and promote either target-RNA cleavage or repression of translation. Consequently, Dicer activity affects gene expression after transcription by determining which regulatory RNA fragments become available to guide these outcomes.
Dicer recognizes both precursor microRNAs and other double-stranded RNA substrates, but these substrates represent different biological sources for regulatory RNA production. Processing precursor microRNAs contributes to developmental control and gene regulation, whereas processing other double-stranded RNAs supports broader RNA interference and antiviral defense. This substrate range gives Dicer roles across distinct biological contexts.
Dicer performs the described processing in the cytoplasm, where precursor microRNAs and other double-stranded RNA substrates are converted into short regulatory fragments. This location places cleavage upstream of their association with Argonaute proteins and assembly into RNA-induced silencing complexes. Cytoplasmic processing therefore links RNA maturation with the cellular machinery that regulates target RNAs.
A study can examine how Dicer processes precursor microRNAs or other double-stranded RNA substrates into short fragments, including whether the products show the characteristic two-nucleotide 3′ overhangs. Researchers can then evaluate their association with Argonaute proteins and determine whether the resulting complexes support target-RNA cleavage or translation repression, connecting molecular processing with regulatory function.
Because Dicer-generated products guide post-transcriptional regulation, studying its activity can help researchers investigate how particular RNA molecules influence gene expression. Observing downstream target-RNA cleavage or translation repression provides information about regulatory effects rather than transcription alone. This makes the system useful for examining gene function and for exploring strategies that manipulate gene regulation in disease research.
Dicer contributes to antiviral defense by processing double-stranded RNA substrates into regulatory fragments that can participate in RNA interference. Its processing of precursor microRNAs also supports developmental control of gene expression. These roles show that the enzyme connects RNA processing with both protection from biological threats and the regulated expression patterns required during development.