Evolution of new proteins from translated sORFs in long non-coding RNAs

Exp Cell Res. 2020 Jun 1;391(1):111940. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2020.111940. Epub 2020 Mar 7.

Abstract

High throughput RNA sequencing techniques have revealed that a large fraction of the genome is transcribed into long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Unlike canonical protein-coding genes, lncRNAs do not contain long open reading frames (ORFs) and tend to be poorly conserved across species. However, many of them contain small ORFs (sORFs) that exhibit translation signatures according to ribosome profiling or proteomics data. These sORFs are a source of putative novel proteins; some of them may confer a selective advantage and be maintained over time, a process known as de novo gene birth. Here we review the mechanisms by which randomly occurring sORFs in lncRNAs can become new functional proteins.

Keywords: Long non-coding RNA; Ribosome profiling; Transcriptomics; de novo gene; sORF.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Genome*
  • Humans
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Male
  • Molecular Sequence Annotation
  • Myocardium / metabolism
  • Open Reading Frames*
  • Organ Specificity
  • Protein Biosynthesis*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / classification
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / genetics*
  • RNA, Long Noncoding / metabolism
  • Ribosomes / classification
  • Ribosomes / genetics*
  • Ribosomes / metabolism
  • Testis / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic

Substances

  • RNA, Long Noncoding