长非编码RNA研究进展

Research Progress on Long Noncoding RNAs

长非编码RNA是指一类长度大于200个核苷酸、不编码蛋白质的非编码RNA.越来越多的研究表明,人类基因组中高达90%的非编码蛋白质的区段同样具有重要作用,而不是所谓的"转录噪声".针对长非编码RNA的功能研究表明,其在转录起始的调控、转录及转录后的调控中均发挥着重要作用,因而影响着各种各样的生物学过程.本综述围绕近几年长非编码RNA的研究成果,总结了长非编码RNA的起源与进化、新型的长非编码RNA类型、典型的长非编码RNA作用机制以及长非编码RNA在发育与细胞重编程过程中的研究,同时也概述了长非编码RNA与表观遗传调控和癌症的关系以及长非编码RNA研究的相关技术.系统发现长非编码RNA并阐明其功能机制,将对现代生命科学具有重大的意义.

Long noncoding RNAs are non-protein coding transcripts greater than 200 bp in length. Rapidly growing studies showed that these 90% non-protein coding regions in human genome, instead of being ＂transcription noise＂, were also playing important roles on transcription initiation, elongation and post-transcriptional regulation etc., thus affecting various biological processes. Based on recent research progress on long noncoding RNAs, this review aims to summarize their origin and evolution, novel kinds of long noncoding RNAs, typical functional mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs, and their roles in development and reprogramming. We also tried to update studies on epigenetic regulation of long noncoding RNAs as well as their roles in cancer research, and some closely related modern technologies for long noncoding RNAs. Systematic screen of long noncoding RNAs and the elaboration of their functional mechanisms will play critical roles in the progress of modern life sciences.