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Updated: May 11, 2026
14:40
Expression Analysis of Mammalian Linker-histone Subtypes
Published on: March 19, 2012
Structural and functional differences in the long non-coding RNA hotair in mouse and human.
Patrick Schorderet1, Denis Duboule
1School of Life Sciences, Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland.
Plos Genetics
|June 4, 2011
Summary
Mouse Hotair, a long non-coding RNA, shows poor sequence conservation and minimal impact on Hoxd gene regulation, suggesting rapid evolution or compensatory mechanisms in mammals.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate crucial biological processes.
- HOTAIR, a lncRNA, regulates HOXD genes in humans via Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) and histone modification.
- Hox gene clusters require tight regulation during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and function of mouse Hotair.
- To assess the conservation of the HOTAIR-mediated in trans regulatory mechanism in mice.
- To understand the role of Hotair in regulating Hoxd genes during development.
Main Methods:
- Sequence analysis of mouse Hotair.
- In vivo studies assessing the effect of Hotair absence and HoxC cluster deletion on Hoxd gene expression.
- Analysis of K27me3 (trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone H3) coverage on Hoxd target genes.
Main Results:
- Mouse Hotair exhibits poor sequence conservation compared to human HOTAIR.
- Absence of Hotair and deletion of the HoxC cluster had minimal impact on Hoxd gene expression patterns and transcription.
- K27me3 coverage on Hoxd target genes remained largely unaffected in the absence of Hotair.
Conclusions:
- Hotair may have evolved rapidly within mammals, with a more significant functional role in humans than in mice.
- Redundant or compensatory genetic mechanisms might mask the function of Hotair in mice under physiological conditions.
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