Long noncoding RNA: a crosslink in biological regulatory network

Brief Bioinform. 2018 Sep 28;19(5):930-945. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbx042.

Abstract

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) had been defined as a novel class of functional RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides around a decade ago. It is widely acknowledged that lncRNAs play a significant role in regulation of gene expression, but the biological and molecular mechanisms are diverse and complex, and remain to be determined. Especially, the regulatory network of lncRNAs associated with other biological molecules is still a controversial matter, thus becoming a new frontier of the studies on transcriptome. Recent advance in high-throughput sequencing technologies and bioinformatics approaches may be an accelerator to lift the mysterious veil. In this review, we will outline well-known associations between lncRNAs and other biological molecules, demonstrate the diverse bioinformatics approaches applied in prediction and analysis of lncRNA interaction and perform a case study for lncRNA linc00460 to concretely decipher the lncRNA regulatory network.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites / genetics
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Computational Biology / methods
  • Databases, Genetic
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic
  • Gene Regulatory Networks*
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Humans
  • MicroRNAs / genetics
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / metabolism
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism*
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • MicroRNAs
  • RNA, Long Noncoding
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Transcription Factors