lncRedibly versatile: biochemical and biological functions of long noncoding RNAs

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts that do not code for proteins, but nevertheless exert regulatory effects on various biochemical pathways, in part via interactions with proteins, DNA, and other RNAs. LncRNAs are thought to regulate transcription and other biological processes by acting, for example, as guides that target proteins to chromatin, scaffolds that facilitate protein-protein interactions and complex formation, and orchestrators of phase-separated compartments. The study of lncRNAs has reached an exciting time, as recent advances in experimental and computational methods allow for genome-wide interrogation of biochemical and biological mechanisms of these enigmatic transcripts. A better appreciation for the biochemical versatility of lncRNAs has allowed us to begin closing gaps in our knowledge of how they act in diverse cellular and organismal contexts, including development and disease.