Abstract
Novel classes of small and long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are increasingly becoming apparent, being engaged in diverse structural, functional and regulatory activities. They take part in target gene silencing, play roles in transcriptional, post-transcriptional and epigenetic processes, such as chromatin remodeling, nuclear reorganization with the formation of silent compartments and fine-tuning of gene recruitment into them. Among their functions, non-coding RNAs are thought to act either as guide or scaffold for epigenetic modifiers that write, erase, and read the epigenetic signature over the genome. Studies on human disorders caused by defects in epigenetic modifiers and involving neurological phenotypes highlight the disruption of diverse classes of non-coding RNAs. Noteworthy, these molecules mediate a wide spectrum of neuronal functions, including brain development, and synaptic plasticity. These findings imply a significant contribution of ncRNAs in pathophysiology of the aforesaid diseases and provide new concepts for potential therapeutic applications.
Highlights
Our common view of the complexity of mammalian transcriptome has been revolutionized by the advent in the highthroughput sequencing highlighting that tens of thousands of sites produce transcripts with tiny protein-coding potential
NcRNAs are commonly classified based on their size in two major groups: small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) which are involved in post-transcriptional regulation of target RNAs via RNAi, and/or modifying other RNAs, including microRNAs, Piwi-interacting RNAs and small nucleolar RNAs, and the heterogeneous group of long ncRNAs, such as transcribed ultraconserved regions (T-UCRs) and large intergenic ncRNAs (Figure 1)
This interaction leads to degradation of the target or to inhibition of translation (Kim et al, 2009). siRNAs and Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small ncRNAs generated through the processing of LINE-1 and other retrotransposons, being involved in the silencing of repetitive elements (Saxena et al, 2012)
Summary
Floriana Della Ragione 1,2, Miriam Gagliardi 1,2, Maurizio D’Esposito 1,2 and Maria R. Novel classes of small and long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are increasingly becoming apparent, being engaged in diverse structural, functional and regulatory activities. They take part in target gene silencing, play roles in transcriptional, post-transcriptional and epigenetic processes, such as chromatin remodeling, nuclear reorganization with the formation of silent compartments and fine-tuning of gene recruitment into them. Among their functions, non-coding RNAs are thought to act either as guide or scaffold for epigenetic modifiers that write, erase, and read the epigenetic signature over the genome.
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