title: Regulation of eukaryotic gene expression by the untranslated gene regions and other non-coding elements.
abstract: There is now compelling evidence that the complexity of higher organisms correlates with the relative amount of non-coding RNA rather than the number of protein-coding genes. Previously dismissed as "junk DNA", it is the non-coding regions of the genome that are responsible for regulation, facilitating complex temporal and spatial gene expression through the combinatorial effect of numerous mechanisms and interactions working together to fine-tune gene expression. The major regions involved in regulation of a particular gene are the 5' and 3' untranslated regions and introns. In addition, pervasive transcription of complex genomes produces a variety of non-coding transcripts that interact with these regions and contribute to regulation. This review discusses recent insights into the regulatory roles of the untranslated gene regions and non-coding RNAs in the control of complex gene expression, as well as the implications of this in terms of organism complexity and evolution.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Neuromuscular and Neurological Disorders (CNND), The University of Western Australia (M518), 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia. Barrel02@student.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Lucy W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Steve D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Wilton
mesh_terms: D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007438:Introns; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000378:metabolism*; D050436:Regulatory Elements, Transcriptional / Q000235:genetics; D020506:Untranslated Regions / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D020506:Untranslated Regions