title: Nuclear Noncoding RNAs and Genome Stability.
abstract: In modern molecular biology, RNA has emerged as a versatile macromolecule capable of mediating an astonishing number of biological functions beyond its role as a transient messenger of genetic information. The recent discovery and functional analyses of new classes of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) have revealed their widespread use in many pathways, including several in the nucleus. This Review focuses on the mechanisms by which nuclear ncRNAs directly contribute to the maintenance of genome stability. We discuss how ncRNAs inhibit spurious recombination among repetitive DNA elements, repress mobilization of transposable elements (TEs), template or bridge DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) during repair, and direct developmentally regulated genome rearrangements in some ciliates. These studies reveal an unexpected repertoire of mechanisms by which ncRNAs contribute to genome stability and even potentially fuel evolution by acting as templates for genome modification.
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 13(th) Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Jasbeer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Khanduja
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 13(th) Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Isabel A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 13(th) Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA.
authors.forename: Richard I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Joh
authors.affiliation: PhD Program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Ian T
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 13(th) Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. Electronic address: mmotamedi@hms.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Motamedi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D053903:DNA Breaks, Double-Stranded; D004260:DNA Repair; D018628:Gene Dosage; D020868:Gene Silencing; D042822:Genomic Instability; D006570:Heterochromatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009690:Nucleic Acid Conformation; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006570:Heterochromatin; D022661:RNA, Untranslated
keywords: DNA double-strand break (DSB); DNA repair; diRNA; genome stability; heterochromatin; lncRNA; noncoding RNA (ncRNA); piRNA; siRNA; transposon silencing