title: Satellite non-coding RNAs: the emerging players in cells, cellular pathways and cancer.
abstract: For several decades, transcriptional inactivity was considered as one of the particular features of constitutive heterochromatin and, therefore, of its major component, satellite DNA sequences. However, more recently, succeeding evidences have demonstrated that these sequences can indeed be transcribed, yielding satellite non-coding RNAs with important roles in the organization and regulation of genomes. Since then, several studies have been conducted, trying to understand the function(s) of these sequences not only in the normal but also in cancer genomes. It is thought that the association between cancer and satncRNAs is mostly due to the influence of these transcripts in the genome instability, a hallmark of cancer. The few reports on satellite DNA transcription in cancer contexts point to its overexpression; however, this scenario may be far more complex, variable, and influenced by a number of factors and the exact role of satncRNAs in the oncogenic process remains poorly understood. The greater is the knowledge on the association of satncRNAs with cancer, the greater would be the opportunity to assist cancer treatment, either by the design of effective therapies targeting these molecules or by using them as biomarkers in cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and with predictive value.
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Daniela
authors: D
authors: Ferreira
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Susana
authors: S
authors: Meles
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Escudeiro
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Mendes-da-Silva
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal.
authors: Filomena
authors: F
authors: Adega
authors: Laboratory of Cytogenomics and Animal Genomics (CAG), Department of Genetics and Biotechnology (DGB), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), Vila Real, Portugal. rchaves@utad.pt.|Faculty of Sciences, BioISI- Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute, University of Lisboa, Campo Grande, Lisboa, Portugal. rchaves@utad.pt.
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Chaves
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004276:DNA, Satellite; D016678:Genome; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004276:DNA, Satellite; D006570:Heterochromatin; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: Biomarkers; Cancer; Genomic instability; Satellite DNA; Satellite non-coding RNA