title: Identification and function of long non-coding RNAs.
abstract: It is now clear that eukaryotic cells produce many thousands of non-coding RNAs. The least well-studied of these are longer than 200 nt and are known as lncRNAs (long non-coding RNAs). These loci are of particular interest as their biological relevance remains uncertain. Sequencing projects have identified thousands of these loci in a variety of species, from flies to humans. Genome-wide scans for functionality, such as evolutionary and expression analyses, suggest that many of these molecules have functional roles to play in the cell. Nevertheless, only a handful of lncRNAs have been experimentally investigated, and most of these appear to possess roles in regulating gene expression at a variety of different levels. Several lncRNAs have also been implicated in cancer. This evidence suggests that lncRNAs represent a new class of non-coding gene whose importance should become clearer upon further experimental investigation.
authors.affiliation: MRC Human Genetics Unit, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK. robert.young@igmm.ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Chris P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ponting
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000235:genetics; D004194:Disease / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016366:Open Reading Frames / Q000235:genetics; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding