title: A long non-coding RNA promotes full activation of adult gene expression in the chicken α-globin domain.
abstract: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) were recently shown to regulate chromatin remodelling activities. Their function in regulating gene expression switching during specific developmental stages is poorly understood. Here we describe a nuclear, non-coding transcript responsive for the stage-specific activation of the chicken adult α(D) globin gene. This non-coding transcript, named α-globin transcript long non-coding RNA (lncRNA-αGT) is transcriptionally upregulated in late stages of chicken development, when active chromatin marks the adult α(D) gene promoter. Accordingly, the lncRNA-αGT promoter drives erythroid-specific transcription. Furthermore, loss of function experiments showed that lncRNA-αGT is required for full activation of the α(D) adult gene and maintenance of transcriptionally active chromatin. These findings uncovered lncRNA-αGT as an important part of the switching from embryonic to adult α-globin gene expression, and suggest a function of lncRNA-αGT in contributing to the maintenance of adult α-globin gene expression by promoting an active chromatin structure.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Cristian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arriaga-Canon
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fonseca-Guzmán
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Valdes-Quezada
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arzate-Mejía
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Fisiología Celular; Departamento de Genética Molecular; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Distrito Federal, México.
authors.forename: Félix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Recillas-Targa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D002645:Chickens; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D055542:alpha-Globins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D055542:alpha-Globins
keywords: chromatin; development; erythroid differentiation; globin genes; long non-coding RNA