Emerging Roles of Non-Coding RNA Transcription - PubMed (original) (raw)

Review

. 2018 Sep;43(9):654-667.

doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.06.002. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

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Review

Emerging Roles of Non-Coding RNA Transcription

Minna U Kaikkonen et al. Trends Biochem Sci. 2018 Sep.

Abstract

Metazoan genomes are broadly transcribed by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII), but surprisingly few of these RNAs encode proteins. Accordingly, there is great interest in understanding the origins and potential roles of the vast array of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that are produced. We present here emerging evidence that the act of transcription and the presence of nascent RNA at a locus is often central to function, rather than specific ncRNA sequences or structures. We highlight examples wherein transcription elongation through a regulatory region modulates chromatin structure and/or transcription factor occupancy, and describe how nascent RNA contributes to the local epigenetic landscape through sequence-independent interactions with chromatin regulators. Finally, we discuss current strategies for probing the potential functions of ncRNA transcription.

Keywords: chromatin structure; enhancer; gene regulation; lncRNA; non-coding RNA; transcriptional interference.

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