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Cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs in pluripotency and reprogramming
Pixi Yan1, Sai Luo1, J Yuyang Lu1
1Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|August 28, 2017
Summary
Thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcribed in mammals, but their functions are often unclear. This review explores how lncRNAs regulate stem cell pluripotency and reprogramming, adding complexity to cell fate determination.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Mammalian genomes extensively produce long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts.
- The specific functions of most lncRNAs remain largely uncharacterized.
- Emerging evidence points to lncRNA-mediated cis-regulation of nearby gene transcription.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the roles of cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs in stem cell pluripotency.
- To summarize lncRNA involvement in cellular reprogramming processes.
- To highlight the regulatory impact of lncRNAs on developmental gene networks.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of recent studies on lncRNAs.
- Analysis of lncRNA mechanisms in stem cell biology.
- Synthesis of findings on lncRNA regulation of cell fate genes.
Main Results:
- lncRNAs are implicated in diverse biological processes, including stem cell pluripotency.
- cis- and trans-acting lncRNAs significantly influence gene expression.
- Regulatory lncRNAs introduce complexity to the control of developmental genes.
Conclusions:
- lncRNAs represent a critical regulatory layer in controlling cell fate.
- Understanding lncRNA function is key to deciphering developmental processes and reprogramming.
- Further research into lncRNA mechanisms will illuminate complex gene regulation networks.
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