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Human cis natural antisense transcripts initiated by transposable elements.

Andrew B Conley¹, Wolfgang J Miller, I King Jordan

¹School of Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30306, USA.

Trends in Genetics : TIG

|January 15, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Human transposable elements (TEs) can initiate natural antisense transcripts (cis-NATs) by creating antisense transcriptional start sites (TSSs). These ancient TE-derived cis-NATs are frequently found near gene 3' ends, indicating conserved function.

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Area of Science:

Genomics
Molecular Biology
Bioinformatics

Background:

Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA sequences.
Natural antisense transcripts (cis-NATs) are RNA molecules transcribed from the opposite strand of a gene.
The role of TEs in regulating gene expression is an active area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the capacity of human transposable elements (TEs) to promote the formation of cis natural antisense transcripts (cis-NATs).
To identify and characterize antisense transcriptional start sites (TSSs) within human TE sequences.
To determine the genomic location and evolutionary age of TE-initiated cis-NATs.

Main Methods:

Bioinformatic analysis of human genome sequences.
Identification and annotation of transcriptional start sites (TSSs).
Comparative genomics to assess evolutionary age of TE sequences.

Main Results:

Discovery of 48,718 human gene antisense TSSs within TE sequences.
Overrepresentation of cis-NAT-producing TSSs within TEs.
TE-initiated cis-NATs are predominantly located near the 3' ends of genes.
TE sequences promoting antisense transcription are ancient, suggesting conserved function.

Conclusions:

Human transposable elements possess the functional capacity to initiate cis natural antisense transcripts.
The location and evolutionary conservation of TE-initiated cis-NATs suggest a role in gene regulation.
Selection has likely conserved the function of ancient TE sequences that drive antisense transcription.