School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture, Life & Environmental Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.
Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Oct 25;25(21):11453. doi: 10.3390/ijms252111453.
The role of long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) in fetal development has emerged as a significant area of study, challenging the traditional protein-centric view of gene expression. While messenger RNAs (mRNAs) have long been recognized for their role in encoding proteins, recent advances have illuminated the critical functions of lincRNAs in various biological processes. Initially identified through high-throughput sequencing technologies, lincRNAs are transcribed from intergenic regions between protein-coding genes and exhibit unique regulatory functions. Unlike mRNAs, lincRNAs are involved in complex interactions with chromatin and chromatin-modifying complexes, influencing gene expression and chromatin structure. LincRNAs are pivotal in regulating tissue-specific development and embryogenesis. For example, they are crucial for proper cardiac, neural, and reproductive system development, with specific lincRNAs being associated with organogenesis and differentiation processes. Their roles in embryonic development include regulating transcription factors and modulating chromatin states, which are essential for maintaining developmental programs and cellular identity. Studies using RNA sequencing and genetic knockout models have highlighted the importance of lincRNAs in processes such as cell differentiation, tissue patterning, and organ development. Despite their functional significance, the comprehensive annotation and understanding of lincRNAs remain limited. Ongoing research aims to elucidate their mechanisms of action and potential applications in disease diagnostics and therapeutics. This review summarizes current knowledge on the functional roles of lincRNAs in fetal development, emphasizing their contributions to tissue-specific gene regulation and developmental processes.
长链非编码 RNA(lincRNAs)在胎儿发育中的作用已成为一个重要的研究领域,挑战了传统的以蛋白质为中心的基因表达观点。虽然信使 RNA(mRNA)长期以来一直被认为在编码蛋白质方面发挥作用,但最近的进展揭示了 lincRNAs 在各种生物过程中的关键功能。lincRNAs 最初是通过高通量测序技术鉴定的,它们从蛋白质编码基因之间的基因间区转录而来,具有独特的调节功能。与 mRNA 不同,lincRNAs 参与与染色质和染色质修饰复合物的复杂相互作用,影响基因表达和染色质结构。lincRNAs 在调节组织特异性发育和胚胎发生中起着关键作用。例如,它们在心脏、神经和生殖系统等特定组织的发育中至关重要,特定的 lincRNAs 与器官发生和分化过程有关。它们在胚胎发育中的作用包括调节转录因子和调节染色质状态,这对于维持发育程序和细胞身份至关重要。使用 RNA 测序和基因敲除模型的研究强调了 lincRNAs 在细胞分化、组织模式形成和器官发育等过程中的重要性。尽管它们具有功能意义,但 lincRNAs 的全面注释和理解仍然有限。正在进行的研究旨在阐明它们的作用机制及其在疾病诊断和治疗中的潜在应用。本综述总结了 lincRNAs 在胎儿发育中的功能作用的现有知识,强调了它们在组织特异性基因调节和发育过程中的贡献。