The Regulation of Mammalian mRNA Transcription by lncRNAs: Recent Discoveries and Current Concepts

Abstract

Transcription by RNA Pol II is a tightly controlled process that is critical to normal cellular metabolism. Understanding how transcriptional regulation is orchestrated has mainly involved identifying and characterizing proteins that function as transcription factors. During the past decade, however, an increasing number of lncRNAs have been identified as transcriptional regulators. This revelation has spurred new discoveries, novel techniques and paradigm shifts, which together are redefining our understanding of transcriptional control and broadening our view of RNA function. Here, we summarize recent discoveries concerning the role of lncRNAs as regulators of mammalian mRNA transcription, with a focus on key concepts that are guiding current research in the field.

KEYWORDS::

• chromatin
• long noncoding RNA
• modular scaffold
• nuclear compartmentalization
• RNA polymerase II
• transcription

Financial & competing interests disclosure

This work was supported by a Public Health Service grant (R01 GM068414) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Public Health Service grant (R01 GM068414) from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.