Noncoding RNAs in B cell responses
1Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Sandler Asthma Basic Research Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Abstract:
B cells constitute a main branch adaptive immune system. They mediate host defence through the production of high-affinity antibodies against an enormous diversity of foreign antigens. Remarkably, B cells undergo multiple types of somatic DNA mutation to achieve this effector function, including class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM). These processes occur in response to antigen recognition and inflammatory signals, and require strict biological control at multiple levels. Transcription within the locus that encodes antibodies plays direct roles in CSR. Additional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), including both microRNAs (miRNAs) and long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), also play pivotal roles in B cell activation and terminal effector function through post-transcriptional gene regulation and chromatin remodelling, respectively.
Related Concept Videos
B Cell Activation and Differentiation
When naive B cells encounter a specific antigen that can bind to the B cell receptor (BCR) on their surface, they undergo sensitization to respond to the antigen's presence. Sensitization begins with...
Types of RNA
Three main types of RNA are involved in protein synthesis: messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), and ribosomal RNA (rRNA). These RNAs perform diverse functions and can be broadly classified as protein-coding or non-coding RNA. Non-coding RNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental changes. Non-coding RNAs in prokaryotes can be manipulated to develop more effective antibacterial drugs for human or animal use.
RNA...
Types of RNA
RNA Performs Diverse...
lncRNA - Long Non-coding RNAs
Ribosomal RNA Synthesis
Ribosome biogenesis begins with the synthesis of 5S and 45S pre-rRNAs by distinct RNA polymerases. The primary transcripts are extensively processed and modified before they are bound and folded by ribosomal proteins and assembly factors,...
Bacterial RNA Polymerase
In most genes, the transcription site is a single base present upstream of the coding sequence. Though RNAP is a catalytically efficient enzyme, it does not recognize...


