Long noncoding RNAs in organogenesis: making the difference.
A large proportion of the cellular transcriptome of higher vertebrates consists of non-protein coding transcripts, among them the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Although lncRNAs are functionally extremely divergent, many ncRNAs have been shown to interact with chromatin modifying complexes and/or with transcriptional regulators. Via such interactions, many lncRNAs are involved in controlling the activity and expression level of target genes, including important regulators of embryonic processes, and thereby fine-tune gene regulatory networks controlling cell fate, lineage balance, and organogenesis. Intriguingly, an increase in organ complexity during evolution parallels a rise in lncRNA abundance. The current data suggest that lncRNAs support the generation of cell diversity and organ complexity during embryogenesis, and thereby have promoted the evolution of more complex organisms.
Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Center for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: grote@med.uni-frankfurt.de.
Phillip
P
Grote
Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, Department of Developmental Genetics, Ihnestr. 63-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany; Charité- University Medicine Berlin, Institute for Medical Genetics, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Hindenburgdamm 30, 12203 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: herrmann@molgen.mpg.de.
Bernhard G
BG
Herrmann
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D038081:Organogenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics*
D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
cell lineage; development; embryo; lncRNAs; organ