title: The pleiotropic role of non-coding genes in development and cancer.
abstract: The expansive dimension of non-coding genes is by now a well-recognized feature of eukaryotes genomes. Over the past decades, in vitro functional studies and in vivo manipulation of non-coding genes through Genetically Engineered Mouse Models (GEMMs) have provided compelling evidence that almost every biological phenomenon is regulated, at some level, by non-coding RNA transcripts or by coding RNAs with non-coding functions. In this opinion article, we will discuss how recent discoveries in the field of non-coding RNAs are contributing to advance our understanding of evolution and organismal complexity and its relevance to human diseases.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pasut
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Akinobu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
authors.forename: John G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Clohessy
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Cancer Center, Department of Medicine and Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: ppandolf@bidmc.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Pier Paolo
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Pandolfi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D021901:DNA, Intergenic / Q000235:genetics*; D058685:Genetic Pleiotropy; D048788:Growth and Development / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D021901:DNA, Intergenic