Abstract
Genome-wide RNA sequencing has shown that only a small fraction of the human genome is transcribed into protein-coding mRNAs. While once thought to be “junk” DNA, recent findings indicate that the rest of the genome encodes many types of non-coding RNA molecules with a myriad of functions still being determined. Among the non-coding RNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and enhancer RNAs (eRNA) are found to be most copious. While their exact biological functions and mechanisms of action are currently unknown, technologies such as next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and global nuclear run-on sequencing (GRO-seq) have begun deciphering their expression patterns and biological significance. In addition to their identification, it has been shown that the expression of long non-coding RNAs and enhancer RNAs can vary due to spatial, temporal, developmental, or hormonal variations. In this review, we explore newly reported information on estrogen-regulated eRNAs and lncRNAs and their associated biological functions to help outline their markedly prominent roles in estrogen-dependent signaling.
Highlights
Technological advancements in molecular biology have improved our ability to identify the novel coding and non-coding genes that make up the human genome
Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays coupled with deep-sequencing (ChIP-seq), evaluate DNA-protein interactions, which can be used to identify transcription factors regulating non-coding genes [8]. ncRNAs are technically divided into two categories based on their size—one group includes ncRNAs that are less than 200nt long, and the other group is composed of ncRNAs that are more than 200nt long, deemed long non-coding RNAs [1,2]
We summarize new information on estrogen-regulated long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) and enhancer RNAs (eRNA) to help highlight their roles in estrogen-dependent cellular processes
Summary
Technological advancements in molecular biology have improved our ability to identify the novel coding and non-coding genes that make up the human genome. That theory has been thoroughly debunked, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been found to modify transcriptional processes in conjunction with environmental and physiological changes [4]. The transcriptional changes caused by non-coding genes have often been linked to many cancers and other disorders [1,2]. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays coupled with deep-sequencing (ChIP-seq), evaluate DNA-protein interactions, which can be used to identify transcription factors regulating non-coding genes [8]. LncRNAs and eRNAs play a prominent role in estrogen-dependent biological processes, and their role in cancer development and progression has become an area of interest due to their potential as future biomarkers and treatment targets [6,9]. We summarize new information on estrogen-regulated lncRNAs and eRNAs to help highlight their roles in estrogen-dependent cellular processes
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