Long non-coding RNAs in the nucleus are essential for controlling gene expression. A study carried out by a Danish-German research team of these non-coding RNAs has revealed how they are dynamically distributed within the cell and how this effects their involvement with cancer. The findings have been published in Nature Communications.
They showed that a long non-coding RNA called A-ROD (Activating Regulator Of DKK1 expression) is only functional at the moment it is released from chromatin into the nucleoplasm. Only then, can it bring transcription factors to specific DNA sites to enhance gene expression. The researchers liken it to a lasso that can be thrown from DNA to catch proteins.
The study focused on long non-coding RNAs that can enhance the production of specific mRNAs, and hence proteins, in breast cancer cells. The study demonstrated that expression of long non-coding RNAs can result in high expression levels of proteins involved in cancer.
The researchers believe these differences can be used to optimize the approach for targeting RNA-dependent processes in diseases, such as breast cancer. They also hope to identify more of the non-coding RNA lassoes to better understand their potential and application in regulation of gene expression.
Image: The authors show that the long non-coding RNA called A-ROD (Activating Regulator Of DKK1 expression) is only functional the moment it is released from chromatin into the nucleoplasm. At this transient phase, it can bring transcription factors -- proteins controlling the synthesis of other genes -- to specific sites in DNA to enhance gene expression. After its complete release from chromatin, A-ROD is no longer active as an enhancing long non-coding RNA. Image courtesy of Evgenia Ntini.