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Long non-coding RNAs: insights into functions

Nature Reviews GeneticsPublished 3 February 2009
Tim R. Mercer, Marcel E. Dinger, John S. Mattick
Citations5,801
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score16.36
SNIP6.73

TL;DR

The rapidly advancing field of long ncRNAs is reviewed, describing their conservation, their organization in the genome and their roles in gene regulation, and the medical implications.

Abstract

In mammals and other eukaryotes most of the genome is transcribed in a developmentally regulated manner to produce large numbers of long non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Here we review the rapidly advancing field of long ncRNAs, describing their conservation, their organization in the genome and their roles in gene regulation. We also consider the medical implications, and the emerging recognition that any transcript, regardless of coding potential, can have an intrinsic function as an RNA.

Keywords

Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology