title: Molecular mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs.
abstract: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are an important class of pervasive genes involved in a variety of biological functions. Here we discuss the emerging archetypes of molecular functions that lncRNAs execute-as signals, decoys, guides, and scaffolds. For each archetype, examples from several disparate biological contexts illustrate the commonality of the molecular mechanisms, and these mechanistic views provide useful explanations and predictions of biological outcomes. These archetypes of lncRNA function may be a useful framework to consider how lncRNAs acquire properties as biological signal transducers and hint at their possible origins in evolution. As new lncRNAs are being discovered at a rapid pace, the molecular mechanisms of lncRNAs are likely to be enriched and diversified.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Program in Epithelial Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Howard Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D011544:Pseudogenes / Q000502:physiology; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000502:physiology; D020871:RNA Stability; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D016615:Telomere / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D012319:RNA Polymerase II; D019098:Telomerase