Long non-coding RNAs in plants: emerging modulators of gene activity in development and stress responses

Kerstin Kaufmann,Qian-Hao Zhu,Li Chen

doi:10.1007/s00425-020-03480-5

Abstract

Main conclusionLong non-coding RNAs modulate gene activity in plant development and stress responses by various molecular mechanisms.Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts larger than 200 nucleotides without protein coding potential. Computational approaches have identified numerous lncRNAs in different plant species. Research in the past decade has unveiled that plant lncRNAs participate in a wide range of biological processes, including regulation of flowering time and morphogenesis of reproductive organs, as well as abiotic and biotic stress responses. LncRNAs execute their functions by interacting with DNA, RNA and protein molecules, and by modulating the expression level of their targets through epigenetic, transcriptional, post-transcriptional or translational regulation. In this review, we summarize characteristics of plant lncRNAs, discuss recent progress on understanding of lncRNA functions, and propose an experimental framework for functional characterization.

Highlights

Pervasive transcription of genomes contributes to the large number of non-coding RNAs
We summarize the characteristics and recent findings on plant Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) functions, and document the strategies and experimental approaches used in identification and analysis of plant lncRNAs
◂Fig. 2 Functions of lncRNAs in plants. a Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) participate in diverse biological processes, including flowering time control, flower development, abiotic and biotic stress responses

Summary

Introduction

Pervasive transcription of genomes contributes to the large number of non-coding RNAs. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are typically defined as transcripts of more than 200 nucleotides length and without any protein coding potential (Quinn and Chang 2016; Budak et al 2020). Since discovery of thousands of lncRNAs based on genomewide survey, the functional relevance of lncRNAs has been debated They have been suggested to be ‘transcriptional noise’ (Hüttenhofer et al 2005) rather than having specific biological functions (for review, see Kung et al 2013). LncRNAs can regulate mRNA expression via cis and/or trans mechanisms, act as signals and decoys of miRNAs or RNA binding proteins, provide specificity for target molecules such as histone modifying enzymes, and function as scaffolds stitching together large molecular machinery (Wang and Chang 2011).

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Conclusions and perspectives

Compliance with ethical standards

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