Tiny RNAs associated with transcription start sites in animals.
It has been reported that relatively short RNAs of heterogeneous sizes are derived from sequences near the promoters of eukaryotic genes. In conjunction with the FANTOM4 project, we have identified tiny RNAs with a modal length of 18 nt that map within -60 to +120 nt of transcription start sites (TSSs) in human, chicken and Drosophila. These transcription initiation RNAs (tiRNAs) are derived from sequences on the same strand as the TSS and are preferentially associated with G+C-rich promoters. The 5' ends of tiRNAs show peak density 10-30 nt downstream of TSSs, indicating that they are processed. tiRNAs are generally, although not exclusively, associated with highly expressed transcripts and sites of RNA polymerase II binding. We suggest that tiRNAs may be a general feature of transcription in metazoa and possibly all eukaryotes.
Taft
Ryan J
RJ
Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Australia.
Glazov
Evgeny A
EA
Cloonan
Nicole
N
Simons
Cas
C
Stephen
Stuart
S
Faulkner
Geoffrey J
GJ
Lassmann
Timo
T
Forrest
Alistair R R
AR
Grimmond
Sean M
SM
Schroder
Kate
K
Irvine
Katharine
K
Arakawa
Takahiro
T
Nakamura
Mari
M
Kubosaki
Atsutaka
A
Hayashida
Kengo
K
Kawazu
Chika
C
Murata
Mitsuyoshi
M
Nishiyori
Hiromi
H
Fukuda
Shiro
S
Kawai
Jun
J
Daub
Carsten O
CO
Hume
David A
DA
Suzuki
Harukazu
H
Orlando
Valerio
V
Carninci
Piero
P
Hayashizaki
Yoshihide
Y
Mattick
John S
JS
D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D024363:Transcription Initiation Site; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D012313:RNA