Definition and annotation of (myco)bacterial non-coding RNA

RNA in bacteria may be broadly classified into coding and non-coding types. The prior, also known as messenger RNA, encode proteins as their final product. The non-coding RNA include all RNAs that are not translated into a protein. Examples of extensively studied and therefore prominent non-coding RNAs include rRNA, tRNA, tmRNA, whose designations reflect the functions performed by these RNAs. Discoveries of non-coding RNAs in mycobacteria have been reported in the recent years. At this early stage of this discipline of mycobacterial research, there is an opportunity for the scientific community to establish a consistent, systematic and objective approach to annotation of these RNAs. We are providing recommendations for this systematic annotation that we hope will be adopted by the mycobacterial research community. These may also serve as templates for annotation of non-coding RNAs in other bacteria.