title: Challenges in the analysis of long noncoding RNA functionality.
abstract: Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) are emerging as important regulators of diverse biological functions. Although mechanistic models are starting to emerge, it is also clear that the lncRNA field needs appropriate model systems in order to better elucidate the functions of lncRNA and their roles in both physiological and pathological conditions. The field of lncRNA is new, and the biochemical and genetic methods used to address function and mechanisms of lncRNA have only recently been developed or adapted from techniques used to investigate protein-coding genes. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of available techniques for the analysis of chromatin-associated lncRNA and emerging models for the recruitment to specific genomic sites such as triple-helix, RNA-protein-DNA recognition and proximity-guided search models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zurich, Switzerland.|Molecular Life Science Program, Life Science Zurich Graduate School, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Mechanisms of Disease, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Santoro
mesh_terms: D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome; D006801:Humans; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding
keywords: chromatin; epigenetics; genome organization; lncRNA; triple helix