Illuminating Genomic Dark Matter with RNA Imaging

In the postgenomic era, it is clear that the human genome encodes thousands of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Along the way, RNA imaging (e.g., RNA fluorescence in situ hybridization [RNA-FISH]) has been instrumental in identifying powerful roles for lncRNAs based on their subcellular localization patterns. Here, we explore how RNA imaging technologies have shed new light on how, when, and where lncRNAs may play functional roles. Specifically, we will synthesize the underlying principles of RNA imaging techniques by exploring several landmark lncRNA imaging studies that have illuminated key insights into lncRNA biology.