101
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Napoli S, Piccinelli V, Mapelli SN, Pisignano G, Catapano CV. Natural antisense transcripts drive a regulatory cascade controlling c-MYC transcription. RNA Biol 2017; 14:1742-1755. [PMID: 28805496 PMCID: PMC5731802 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1356564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cis-natural antisense transcripts (cis-NATs) are long noncoding RNAs transcribed from the opposite strand and overlapping coding and noncoding genes on the sense strand. cis-NATs are widely present in the human genome and can be involved in multiple mechanisms of gene regulation. Here, we describe the presence of cis-NATs in the 3′ distal region of the c-MYC locus and investigate their impact on transcriptional regulation of this key oncogene in human cancers. We found that cis-NATs are produced as consequence of the activation of cryptic transcription initiation sites in the 3′ distal region downstream of the c-MYC 3′UTR. The process is tightly regulated and leads to the formation of two main transcripts, NAT6531 and NAT6558, which differ in their ability to fold into stem-loop secondary structures. NAT6531 acts as a substrate for DICER and as a source of small RNAs capable of modulating c-MYC transcription. This complex system, based on the interplay between cis-NATs and NAT-derived small RNAs, may represent an important layer of epigenetic regulation of the expression of c-MYC and other genes in human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Napoli
- a Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program , Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) , Bellinzona , Switzerland
| | - Valentina Piccinelli
- a Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program , Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) , Bellinzona , Switzerland
| | - Sarah N Mapelli
- a Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program , Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) , Bellinzona , Switzerland
| | - Giuseppina Pisignano
- a Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program , Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) , Bellinzona , Switzerland
| | - Carlo V Catapano
- a Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics Program , Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) , Bellinzona , Switzerland.,b Department of Oncology , Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne , Lausanne , Switzerland
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102
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Yan P, Luo S, Lu JY, Shen X. Cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs in pluripotency and reprogramming. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2017; 46:170-178. [PMID: 28843809 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2017.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Pervasive transcription in mammalian genomes produces thousands of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts. Although they have been implicated in diverse biological processes, the functional relevance of most lncRNAs remains unknown. Recent studies reveal the prevalence of lncRNA-mediated cis regulation on nearby transcription. In this review, we summarize cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs involved in stem cell pluripotency and reprogramming, highlighting the role of regulatory lncRNAs in providing an additional layer of complexity to the regulation of genes that govern cell fate during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pixi Yan
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sai Luo
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - J Yuyang Lu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaohua Shen
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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103
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Nakajima R, Sato T, Ogawa T, Okano H, Noce T. A noncoding RNA containing a SINE-B1 motif associates with meiotic metaphase chromatin and has an indispensable function during spermatogenesis. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179585. [PMID: 28658256 PMCID: PMC5489172 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 06/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A search for early response genes that are activated following germ cell induction from mouse embryonic stem cells in vitro led us to the isolation of a long noncoding RNA that contains a SINE (short interspersed element)-B1F motif that was named R53. In situ hybridization and northern blot analyses revealed that the R53 subfragment RNA bears a B1F motif, is processed from the primary transcript, is expressed in adult testis and is predominantly localized in meiotic metaphase chromatin during spermatogenesis. Recent studies of chromosome-associated RNAs have explored novel functions of noncoding RNAs. Specifically, chromosome-bound noncoding RNAs function not only as structural components of chromosome but also as scaffolds that recruit epigenetic modulators for transcriptional regulation, and they are dynamically rearranged during the cell cycle. However, few studies have explored meiotic chromatin; thus, R53 RNA appears to be the first long noncoding RNA to be tightly associated with the metaphase chromatin during spermatogenesis. Furthermore, R53 knockdown using a lentivirus-mediated RNAi injected into mouse testis and organ culture of the fragments revealed a remarkable reduction in postmeiotic cells and irregular up-regulation of several postmeiotic genes, which suggests the possibility that the SINE-B1-derived noncoding RNA R53 plays an indispensable role in the transcriptional regulation of key spermatogenesis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryusuke Nakajima
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinamomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (RN); (TN)
| | - Takuya Sato
- Laboratory of Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takehiko Ogawa
- Laboratory of Proteomics, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Life Science, Yokohama City University Association of Medical Science, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinamomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toshiaki Noce
- Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, 35 Shinamomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail: (RN); (TN)
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104
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Chromatin-enriched lncRNAs can act as cell-type specific activators of proximal gene transcription. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2017. [PMID: 28628087 PMCID: PMC5682930 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
We recently described a new class of long noncoding RNA defined by especially tight chromatin association, whose presence is strongly correlated with expression of nearby genes in HEK293 cells. Here we critically examine the generality and cis-enhancer mechanism of this class of chromatin enriched RNA (cheRNA). CheRNA are largely cell-type specific, and remain the most effective chromatin signature for predicting cis-gene transcription in all cell types examined. Targeted depletion of three cheRNAs decreases gene expression of their neighbors, indicating potential co-activator function. Single-molecule FISH of one cheRNA-distal target gene pair suggests spatial overlap consistent with a role in chromosome looping. In another example, the cheRNA HIDALGO stimulates the fetal hemoglobin HBG1 gene during erythroid differentiation by promoting contacts to a downstream enhancer. Our results suggest that many cheRNAs activate proximal, lineage-specific gene transcription.
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105
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Sawyer IA, Dundr M. Chromatin loops and causality loops: the influence of RNA upon spatial nuclear architecture. Chromosoma 2017; 126:541-557. [PMID: 28593374 DOI: 10.1007/s00412-017-0632-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
An intrinsic and essential trait exhibited by cells is the properly coordinated and integrated regulation of an astoundingly large number of simultaneous molecular decisions and reactions to maintain biochemical homeostasis. This is especially true inside the cell nucleus, where the recognition of DNA and RNA by a vast range of nucleic acid-interacting proteins organizes gene expression patterns. However, this dynamic system is not regulated by simple "on" or "off" signals. Instead, transcription factor and RNA polymerase recruitment to DNA are influenced by the local chromatin and epigenetic environment, a gene's relative position within the nucleus and the action of noncoding RNAs. In addition, major phase-separated structural features of the nucleus, such as nucleoli and paraspeckles, assemble in direct response to specific transcriptional activities and, in turn, influence global genomic function. Currently, the interpretation of these data is trapped in a causality dilemma reminiscent of the "chicken and the egg" paradox as it is unclear whether changes in nuclear architecture promote RNA function or vice versa. Here, we review recent advances that suggest a complex and interdependent interaction network between gene expression, chromatin topology, and noncoding RNA function. We also discuss the functional links between these essential nuclear processes from the nanoscale (gene looping) to the macroscale (sub-nuclear gene positioning and nuclear body function) and briefly highlight some of the challenges that researchers may encounter when studying these phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain A Sawyer
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Miroslav Dundr
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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106
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Seiler J, Breinig M, Caudron-Herger M, Polycarpou-Schwarz M, Boutros M, Diederichs S. The lncRNA VELUCT strongly regulates viability of lung cancer cells despite its extremely low abundance. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:5458-5469. [PMID: 28160600 PMCID: PMC5435915 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Revised: 01/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the function of most non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). The majority of long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) is expressed at very low levels and it is a matter of intense debate whether these can be of functional relevance. Here, we identified lncRNAs regulating the viability of lung cancer cells in a high-throughput RNA interference screen. Based on our previous expression profiling, we designed an siRNA library targeting 638 lncRNAs upregulated in human cancer. In a functional siRNA screen analyzing the viability of lung cancer cells, the most prominent hit was a novel lncRNA which we called Viability Enhancing LUng Cancer Transcript (VELUCT). In silico analyses confirmed the non-coding properties of the transcript. Surprisingly, VELUCT was below the detection limit in total RNA from NCI-H460 cells by RT-qPCR as well as RNA-Seq, but was robustly detected in the chromatin-associated RNA fraction. It is an extremely low abundant lncRNA with an RNA copy number of less than one copy per cell. Blocking transcription with actinomycin D revealed that VELUCT RNA was highly unstable which may partially explain its low steady-state concentration. Despite its extremely low abundance, loss-of-function of VELUCT with three independent experimental approaches in three different lung cancer cell lines led to a significant reduction of cell viability: Next to four individual siRNAs, also two complex siPOOLs as well as two antisense oligonucleotides confirmed the strong and specific phenotype. In summary, the extremely low abundant lncRNA VELUCT is essential for regulation of cell viability in several lung cancer cell lines. Hence, VELUCT is the first example for a lncRNA that is expressed at a very low level, but has a strong loss-of-function phenotype. Thus, our study proves that at least individual low-abundant lncRNAs can play an important functional role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Seiler
- Division of RNA Biology & Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marco Breinig
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maïwen Caudron-Herger
- Division of RNA Biology & Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Michael Boutros
- Division of Signaling and Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sven Diederichs
- Division of RNA Biology & Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Cancer Research, Dept. of Thoracic Surgery, Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Freiburg, Germany
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107
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Gene activation of SMN by selective disruption of lncRNA-mediated recruitment of PRC2 for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017; 114:E1509-E1518. [PMID: 28193854 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1616521114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron loss and caused by mutations in SMN1 (Survival Motor Neuron 1). The disease severity inversely correlates with the copy number of SMN2, a duplicated gene that is nearly identical to SMN1. We have delineated a mechanism of transcriptional regulation in the SMN2 locus. A previously uncharacterized long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), SMN-antisense 1 (SMN-AS1), represses SMN2 expression by recruiting the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) to its locus. Chemically modified oligonucleotides that disrupt the interaction between SMN-AS1 and PRC2 inhibit the recruitment of PRC2 and increase SMN2 expression in primary neuronal cultures. Our approach comprises a gene-up-regulation technology that leverages interactions between lncRNA and PRC2. Our data provide proof-of-concept that this technology can be used to treat disease caused by epigenetic silencing of specific loci.
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108
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Huynh NPT, Anderson BA, Guilak F, McAlinden A. Emerging roles for long noncoding RNAs in skeletal biology and disease. Connect Tissue Res 2017; 58:116-141. [PMID: 27254479 PMCID: PMC5301950 DOI: 10.1080/03008207.2016.1194406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Normal skeletal development requires tight coordination of transcriptional networks, signaling pathways, and biomechanical cues, and many of these pathways are dysregulated in pathological conditions affecting cartilage and bone. Recently, a significant role has been identified for long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in developing and maintaining cellular phenotypes, and improvements in sequencing technologies have led to the identification of thousands of lncRNAs across diverse cell types, including the cells within cartilage and bone. It is clear that lncRNAs play critical roles in regulating gene expression. For example, they can function as epigenetic regulators in the nucleus via chromatin modulation to control gene transcription, or in the cytoplasm, where they can function as scaffolds for protein-binding partners or modulate the activity of other coding and noncoding RNAs. In this review, we discuss the growing list of lncRNAs involved in normal development and/or homeostasis of the skeletal system, the potential mechanisms by which these lncRNAs might function, and recent improvements in the methodologies available to study lncRNA functions in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we address the likely utility of lncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for diseases of the skeletal system, including osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and in cancers of the skeletal system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen P. T. Huynh
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA,Shriners Hospitals for Children – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Britta A. Anderson
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Farshid Guilak
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA,Shriners Hospitals for Children – St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA,Department of Cell Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA,Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Audrey McAlinden
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO, USA,Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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109
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Jarroux J, Morillon A, Pinskaya M. History, Discovery, and Classification of lncRNAs. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1008:1-46. [PMID: 28815535 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-10-5203-3_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 562] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The RNA World Hypothesis suggests that prebiotic life revolved around RNA instead of DNA and proteins. Although modern cells have changed significantly in 4 billion years, RNA has maintained its central role in cell biology. Since the discovery of DNA at the end of the nineteenth century, RNA has been extensively studied. Many discoveries such as housekeeping RNAs (rRNA, tRNA, etc.) supported the messenger RNA model that is the pillar of the central dogma of molecular biology, which was first devised in the late 1950s. Thirty years later, the first regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) were initially identified in bacteria and then in most eukaryotic organisms. A few long ncRNAs (lncRNAs) such as H19 and Xist were characterized in the pre-genomic era but remained exceptions until the early 2000s. Indeed, when the sequence of the human genome was published in 2001, studies showed that only about 1.2% encodes proteins, the rest being deemed "non-coding." It was later shown that the genome is pervasively transcribed into many ncRNAs, but their functionality remained controversial. Since then, regulatory lncRNAs have been characterized in many species and were shown to be involved in processes such as development and pathologies, revealing a new layer of regulation in eukaryotic cells. This newly found focus on lncRNAs, together with the advent of high-throughput sequencing, was accompanied by the rapid discovery of many novel transcripts which were further characterized and classified according to specific transcript traits.In this review, we will discuss the many discoveries that led to the study of lncRNAs, from Friedrich Miescher's "nuclein" in 1869 to the elucidation of the human genome and transcriptome in the early 2000s. We will then focus on the biological relevance during lncRNA evolution and describe their basic features as genes and transcripts. Finally, we will present a non-exhaustive catalogue of lncRNA classes, thus illustrating the vast complexity of eukaryotic transcriptomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Jarroux
- ncRNA, epigenetic and genome fluidity, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, CNRS UMR 3244, PSL Research University and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Antonin Morillon
- ncRNA, epigenetic and genome fluidity, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, CNRS UMR 3244, PSL Research University and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France.
| | - Marina Pinskaya
- ncRNA, epigenetic and genome fluidity, Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, CNRS UMR 3244, PSL Research University and Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
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110
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Schlackow M, Nojima T, Gomes T, Dhir A, Carmo-Fonseca M, Proudfoot NJ. Distinctive Patterns of Transcription and RNA Processing for Human lincRNAs. Mol Cell 2016; 65:25-38. [PMID: 28017589 PMCID: PMC5222723 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.11.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 11/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Numerous long intervening noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) are generated from the mammalian genome by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) transcription. Although multiple functions have been ascribed to lincRNAs, their synthesis and turnover remain poorly characterized. Here, we define systematic differences in transcription and RNA processing between protein-coding and lincRNA genes in human HeLa cells. This is based on a range of nascent transcriptomic approaches applied to different nuclear fractions, including mammalian native elongating transcript sequencing (mNET-seq). Notably, mNET-seq patterns specific for different Pol II CTD phosphorylation states reveal weak co-transcriptional splicing and poly(A) signal-independent Pol II termination of lincRNAs as compared to pre-mRNAs. In addition, lincRNAs are mostly restricted to chromatin, since they are rapidly degraded by the RNA exosome. We also show that a lincRNA-specific co-transcriptional RNA cleavage mechanism acts to induce premature termination. In effect, functional lincRNAs must escape from this targeted nuclear surveillance process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Schlackow
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Takayuki Nojima
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
| | - Tomas Gomes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ashish Dhir
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Maria Carmo-Fonseca
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Nick J Proudfoot
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK.
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111
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d'Ydewalle C, Ramos DM, Pyles NJ, Ng SY, Gorz M, Pilato CM, Ling K, Kong L, Ward AJ, Rubin LL, Rigo F, Bennett CF, Sumner CJ. The Antisense Transcript SMN-AS1 Regulates SMN Expression and Is a Novel Therapeutic Target for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Neuron 2016; 93:66-79. [PMID: 28017471 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2016.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The neuromuscular disorder spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the most common inherited killer of infants, is caused by insufficient expression of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMA therapeutics development efforts have focused on identifying strategies to increase SMN expression. We identified a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that arises from the antisense strand of SMN, SMN-AS1, which is enriched in neurons and transcriptionally represses SMN expression by recruiting the epigenetic Polycomb repressive complex-2. Targeted degradation of SMN-AS1 with antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) increases SMN expression in patient-derived cells, cultured neurons, and the mouse central nervous system. SMN-AS1 ASOs delivered together with SMN2 splice-switching oligonucleotides additively increase SMN expression and improve survival of severe SMA mice. This study is the first proof of concept that targeting a lncRNA to transcriptionally activate SMN2 can be combined with SMN2 splicing modification to ameliorate SMA and demonstrates the promise of combinatorial ASOs for the treatment of neurogenetic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin d'Ydewalle
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Daniel M Ramos
- Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Noah J Pyles
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Shi-Yan Ng
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Mariusz Gorz
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Celeste M Pilato
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Karen Ling
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Lingling Kong
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Amanda J Ward
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 500 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Lee L Rubin
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Frank Rigo
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - C Frank Bennett
- Ionis Pharmaceuticals, 2855 Gazelle Court, Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
| | - Charlotte J Sumner
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 855 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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112
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Spurlock CF, Crooke PS, Aune TM. Biogenesis and Transcriptional Regulation of Long Noncoding RNAs in the Human Immune System. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2016; 197:4509-4517. [PMID: 27913643 PMCID: PMC5140008 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1600970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The central dogma of molecular biology states that DNA makes RNA makes protein. Discoveries over the last quarter of a century found that the process of DNA transcription into RNA gives rise to a diverse array of functional RNA species, including genes that code for protein and noncoding RNAs. For decades, the focus has been on understanding how protein-coding genes are regulated to influence protein expression. However, with the completion of the Human Genome Project and follow-up ENCODE data, it is now appreciated that only 2-3% of the genome codes for protein-coding gene exons and that the bulk of the transcribed genome, apart from ribosomal RNAs, is at the level of noncoding RNA genes. In this article, we focus on the biogenesis and regulation of a distinct class of noncoding RNA molecules termed long, noncoding RNAs in the context of the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles F Spurlock
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232; and
| | - Philip S Crooke
- Department of Mathematics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232
| | - Thomas M Aune
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN 37232; and
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113
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HIPSTR and thousands of lncRNAs are heterogeneously expressed in human embryos, primordial germ cells and stable cell lines. Sci Rep 2016; 6:32753. [PMID: 27605307 PMCID: PMC5015059 DOI: 10.1038/srep32753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic genomes are transcribed into numerous regulatory long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Compared to mRNAs, lncRNAs display higher developmental stage-, tissue-, and cell-subtype-specificity of expression, and are generally less abundant in a population of cells. Despite the progress in single-cell-focused research, the origins of low population-level expression of lncRNAs in homogeneous populations of cells are poorly understood. Here, we identify HIPSTR (Heterogeneously expressed from the Intronic Plus Strand of the TFAP2A-locus RNA), a novel lncRNA gene in the developmentally regulated TFAP2A locus. HIPSTR has evolutionarily conserved expression patterns, its promoter is most active in undifferentiated cells, and depletion of HIPSTR in HEK293 and in pluripotent H1BP cells predominantly affects the genes involved in early organismal development and cell differentiation. Most importantly, we find that HIPSTR is specifically induced and heterogeneously expressed in the 8-cell-stage human embryos during the major wave of embryonic genome activation. We systematically explore the phenomenon of cell-to-cell variation of gene expression and link it to low population-level expression of lncRNAs, showing that, similar to HIPSTR, the expression of thousands of lncRNAs is more highly heterogeneous than the expression of mRNAs in the individual, otherwise indistinguishable cells of totipotent human embryos, primordial germ cells, and stable cell lines.
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114
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Koo DH, Zhao H, Jiang J. Chromatin-associated transcripts of tandemly repetitive DNA sequences revealed by RNA-FISH. Chromosome Res 2016; 24:467-480. [PMID: 27590598 DOI: 10.1007/s10577-016-9537-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Tandemly repetitive DNA sequences, also named satellite repeats, are major DNA components of heterochromatin and are often organized as long arrays in the pericentromeric, centromeric, and subtelomeric regions of eukaryotic chromosomes. An increasing amount of evidence indicates that transcripts derived from some satellite repeats play important roles in various biological functions. We used a RNA-fluorescence in situ hybridization (RNA-FISH) technique to investigate the transcription of the four well-characterized satellite repeats of maize (Zea mays), including the 180-bp knob repeat, the telomeric (TTTAGGG)n repeat, the 156-bp centromeric repeat CentC, and a 350-bp subtelomeric repeat. Although few transcripts derived from these four repeats were found in the expressed sequence tag and RNA-seq databases, RNA-FISH consistently detected the transcripts from three of the four repeats on interphase nuclei, suggesting that the transcripts from the three repeats are largely integrated into chromatin. The transcripts from the knob and telomeric repeats were mapped to the related DNA loci. In contrast, the transcripts from the CentC repeats were mainly localized to the nucleolus, although nucleoplasmic CentC transcripts were also detectable. The nucleolus and nuclear RNAs appeared to be important for the nuclear localization for at least one centromeric protein, Mis12. We demonstrate that RNA-FISH is a powerful tool to assess the level of transcription as well as to physically map the nuclear locations of the transcripts derived from satellite repeats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dal-Hoe Koo
- Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.,Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - Hainan Zhao
- Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
| | - Jiming Jiang
- Department of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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115
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Schmitz SU, Grote P, Herrmann BG. Mechanisms of long noncoding RNA function in development and disease. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016; 73:2491-509. [PMID: 27007508 PMCID: PMC4894931 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-016-2174-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 769] [Impact Index Per Article: 96.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Since decades it has been known that non-protein-coding RNAs have important cellular functions. Deep sequencing recently facilitated the discovery of thousands of novel transcripts, now classified as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), in many vertebrate and invertebrate species. LncRNAs are involved in a wide range of cellular mechanisms, from almost all aspects of gene expression to protein translation and stability. Recent findings implicate lncRNAs as key players of cellular differentiation, cell lineage choice, organogenesis and tissue homeostasis. Moreover, lncRNAs are involved in pathological conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, and therefore provide novel biomarkers and pharmaceutical targets. Here we discuss examples illustrating the versatility of lncRNAs in gene control, development and differentiation, as well as in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra U Schmitz
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestr. 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Phillip Grote
- Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Center for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Bernhard G Herrmann
- Department of Developmental Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Ihnestr. 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
- Institute for Medical Genetics, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charite-University Medicine Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203, Berlin, Germany.
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116
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Hall LL, Lawrence JB. RNA as a fundamental component of interphase chromosomes: could repeats prove key? Curr Opin Genet Dev 2016; 37:137-147. [PMID: 27218204 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2016.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Revised: 04/01/2016] [Accepted: 04/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Beginning with the precedent of XIST RNA as a 'chromosomal RNA' (cRNA), there is growing interest in the possibility that a diversity of non-coding RNAs may function in chromatin. We review findings which lead us to suggest that RNA is essentially a widespread component of interphase chromosomes. Further, RNA likely contributes to architecture and regulation, with repeat-rich 'junk' RNA in euchromatin (ecRNA) promoting a more open chromatin state. Thousands of low-abundance nuclear RNAs have been reported, however it remains a challenge to determine which of these may function in chromatin. Recent findings indicate that repetitive sequences are enriched in chromosome-associated non-coding RNAs, and repeat-rich RNA shows unusual properties, including localization and stability, with similarities to XIST RNA. We suggest two frontiers in genome biology are emerging and may intersect: the broad contribution of RNA to interphase chromosomes and the distinctive properties of repeat-rich intronic or intergenic junk sequences that may play a role in chromosome structure and regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa L Hall
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA
| | - Jeanne B Lawrence
- Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, 55 Lake Avenue North, Worcester, MA 01655, USA.
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117
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Rutenberg-Schoenberg M, Sexton AN, Simon MD. The Properties of Long Noncoding RNAs That Regulate Chromatin. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 2016; 17:69-94. [PMID: 27147088 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-090314-024939] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Beyond coding for proteins, RNA molecules have well-established functions in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Less clear are the upstream roles of RNA in regulating transcription and chromatin-based processes in the nucleus. RNA is transcribed in the nucleus, so it is logical that RNA could play diverse and broad roles that would impact human physiology. Indeed, this idea is supported by well-established examples of noncoding RNAs that affect chromatin structure and function. There has been dramatic growth in studies focused on the nuclear roles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Although little is known about the biochemical mechanisms of these lncRNAs, there is a developing consensus regarding the challenges of defining lncRNA function and mechanism. In this review, we examine the definition, discovery, functions, and mechanisms of lncRNAs. We emphasize areas where challenges remain and where consensus among laboratories has underscored the exciting ways in which human lncRNAs may affect chromatin biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Rutenberg-Schoenberg
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; , , .,Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut 06516
| | - Alec N Sexton
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; , , .,Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut 06516
| | - Matthew D Simon
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511; , , .,Chemical Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut 06516
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118
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Meng Y, Yi X, Li X, Hu C, Wang J, Bai L, Czajkowsky DM, Shao Z. The non-coding RNA composition of the mitotic chromosome by 5'-tag sequencing. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:4934-46. [PMID: 27016738 PMCID: PMC4889943 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitotic chromosomes are one of the most commonly recognized sub-cellular structures in eukaryotic cells. Yet basic information necessary to understand their structure and assembly, such as their composition, is still lacking. Recent proteomic studies have begun to fill this void, identifying hundreds of RNA-binding proteins bound to mitotic chromosomes. However, by contrast, there are only two RNA species (U3 snRNA and rRNA) that are known to be associated with the mitotic chromosome, suggesting that there are many mitotic chromosome-associated RNAs (mCARs) not yet identified. Here, using a targeted protocol based on 5'-tag sequencing to profile the mammalian mCAR population, we report the identification of 1279 mCARs, the majority of which are ncRNAs, including lncRNAs that exhibit greater conservation across 60 vertebrate species than the entire population of lncRNAs. There is also a significant enrichment of snoRNAs and specific SINE RNAs. Finally, ∼40% of the mCARs are presently unannotated, many of which are as abundant as the annotated mCARs, suggesting that there are also many novel ncRNAs in the mCARs. Overall, the mCARs identified here, together with the previous proteomic and genomic data, constitute the first comprehensive catalogue of the molecular composition of the eukaryotic mitotic chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicong Meng
- Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Xianfu Yi
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Xinhui Li
- Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Chuansheng Hu
- Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ju Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Ling Bai
- Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Daniel M Czajkowsky
- Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Zhifeng Shao
- Bio-ID Center, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes & Related Genes, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
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119
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Lopez-Pajares V. Long non-coding RNA regulation of gene expression during differentiation. Pflugers Arch 2016; 468:971-81. [PMID: 26996975 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-016-1809-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2015] [Revised: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptome analysis of mammalian genomes has revealed widespread transcription, much of which does not encode protein. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a subset of the non-coding transcriptome that are emerging as critical regulators of various cellular processes. Differentiation of stem and progenitor cells requires a careful execution of specific genetic programs, and recent studies have revealed that lncRNA expression contributes to specification of cell identity. LncRNAs participate in regulating differentiation at multiple levels of gene expression through various mechanisms of action. In this review, functional roles of lncRNAs in regulating cellular differentiation of blood, muscle, skin, cardiomyocytes, adipocytes, and neurons are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Lopez-Pajares
- Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University, 269 Campus Drive, Room 2150, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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120
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Eidem TM, Kugel JF, Goodrich JA. Noncoding RNAs: Regulators of the Mammalian Transcription Machinery. J Mol Biol 2016; 428:2652-2659. [PMID: 26920110 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2016.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Revised: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) is required to produce mRNAs and some noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) within mammalian cells. This coordinated process is precisely regulated by multiple factors, including many recently discovered ncRNAs. In this perspective, we will discuss newly identified ncRNAs that facilitate DNA looping, regulate transcription factor binding, mediate promoter-proximal pausing of Pol II, and/or interact with Pol II to modulate transcription. Moreover, we will discuss new roles for ncRNAs, as well as a novel Pol II RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity that regulates an ncRNA inhibitor of transcription. As the multifaceted nature of ncRNAs continues to be revealed, we believe that many more ncRNA species and functions will be discovered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tess M Eidem
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA
| | - Jennifer F Kugel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
| | - James A Goodrich
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Colorado, 596 UCB, Boulder, CO 80309-0596, USA.
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121
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Lin PC, Lu CW, Shen BN, Lee GZ, Bowman JL, Arteaga-Vazquez MA, Liu LYD, Hong SF, Lo CF, Su GM, Kohchi T, Ishizaki K, Zachgo S, Althoff F, Takenaka M, Yamato KT, Lin SS. Identification of miRNAs and Their Targets in the Liverwort Marchantia polymorpha by Integrating RNA-Seq and Degradome Analyses. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 57:339-58. [PMID: 26861787 PMCID: PMC4788410 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcw020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/22/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Bryophytes (liverworts, hornworts and mosses) comprise the three earliest diverging lineages of land plants (embryophytes). Marchantia polymorpha, a complex thalloid Marchantiopsida liverwort that has been developed into a model genetic system, occupies a key phylogenetic position. Therefore, M. polymorpha is useful in studies aiming to elucidate the evolution of gene regulation mechanisms in plants. In this study, we used computational, transcriptomic, small RNA and degradome analyses to characterize microRNA (miRNA)-mediated pathways of gene regulation in M. polymorpha. The data have been integrated into the open access ContigViews-miRNA platform for further reference. In addition to core components of the miRNA pathway, 129 unique miRNA sequences, 11 of which could be classified into seven miRNA families that are conserved in embryophytes (miR166a, miR390, miR529c, miR171-3p, miR408a, miR160 and miR319a), were identified. A combination of computational and degradome analyses allowed us to identify and experimentally validate 249 targets. In some cases, the target genes are orthologous to those of other embryophytes, but in other cases, the conserved miRNAs target either paralogs or members of different gene families. In addition, the newly discovered Mpo-miR11707.1 and Mpo-miR11707.2 are generated from a common precursor and target MpARGONAUTE1 (LW1759). Two other newly discovered miRNAs, Mpo-miR11687.1 and Mpo-miR11681.1, target the MADS-box transcription factors MpMADS1 and MpMADS2, respectively. Interestingly, one of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) gene family members, MpPPR_66 (LW9825), the protein products of which are generally involved in various steps of RNA metabolism, has a long stem-loop transcript that can generate Mpo-miR11692.1 to autoregulate MpPPR_66 (LW9825) mRNA. This study provides a foundation for further investigations of the RNA-mediated silencing mechanism in M. polymorpha as well as of the evolution of this gene silencing pathway in embryophytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pin-Chun Lin
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106 These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Chia-Wei Lu
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106 These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Bing-Nan Shen
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Guan-Zong Lee
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - John L Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez
- Instituto de Biotecnologia y Ecologia Aplicada (INBIOTECA), Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Li-Yu Daisy Liu
- Department of Agronomy, National Taiwan University, 1 Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd. Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Syuan-Fei Hong
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Chu-Fang Lo
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan 701
| | - Gong-Min Su
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Takayuki Kohchi
- Graduate School of Biostudies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8502 Japan
| | | | - Sabine Zachgo
- University of Osnabrück, Botany Department, D-49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Felix Althoff
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Mizuki Takenaka
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
| | - Katsuyuki T Yamato
- Faculty of Biology-Oriented Science and Technology, Kinki University, Nishimitani, Kinokawa, Wakayama, 649-6493 Japan
| | - Shih-Shun Lin
- Institute of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106 Agricultural Biotechnology Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan 115 Center of Biotechnology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106
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122
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Abstract
Aging is a universal, intrinsic, and time-dependent biological decay that is linked to intricate cellular processes including cellular senescence, telomere shortening, stem cell exhaustion, mitochondrial dysfunction, and deregulated metabolism. Cellular senescence is accepted as one of the core processes of aging at the organism level. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying senescence could facilitate the development of potential therapeutics for aging and age-related diseases. Recently, the discovery of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) provided insights into a novel regulatory layer that can intervene with cellular senescence. Increasing evidence indicates that targeting lncRNAs may impact on senescence pathways. In this review, we will focus on lncRNAs involved in mechanistic pathways governing cellular senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ufuk Degirmenci
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sun Lei
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research, Singapore
- Programme in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS, Singapore
- *Correspondence: Sun Lei,
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