The expansive dimension of non-coding genes is by now a well-recognized feature of eukaryotes genomes. Over the past decades, in vitro functional studies and in vivo manipulation of non-coding genes through Genetically Engineered Mouse Models (GEMMs) have provided compelling evidence that almost every biological phenomenon is regulated, at some level, by non-coding RNA transcripts or by coding RNAs with non-coding functions. In this opinion article, we will discuss how recent discoveries in the field of non-coding RNAs are contributing to advance our understanding of evolution and organismal complexity and its relevance to human diseases.
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