An expanding universe of noncoding RNAs.
Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been found to have roles in a great variety of processes, including transcriptional regulation, chromosome replication, RNA processing and modification, messenger RNA stability and translation, and even protein degradation and translocation. Recent studies indicate that ncRNAs are far more abundant and important than initially imagined. These findings raise several fundamental questions: How many ncRNAs are encoded by a genome? Given the absence of a diagnostic open reading frame, how can these genes be identified? How can all the functions of ncRNAs be elucidated?
Storz
Gisela
G
Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. storz@helix.nih.gov
D000818:Animals; D020029:Base Pairing; D002384:Catalysis; D002875:Chromosomes / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D021381:Protein Transport; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional; D012329:RNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D016337:RNA, Catalytic / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
D011506:Proteins; D012329:RNA, Bacterial; D016337:RNA, Catalytic; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012313:RNA