Not so Dead Genes—Retrocopies as Regulators of Their Disease-Related Progenitors and Hosts

Cells

Joanna Ciomborowska-Basheer¹  Izabela Makałowska¹  Klaudia Staszak¹  MagdalenaRegina Kubiak¹ 

[1] Institute of Human Biology and Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University Poznań, 61-614 Poznań, Poland;

关键词: retrocopies;    retroposition;    lncRNA;    disease;    parental gene;    host gene;   

DOI  :  10.3390/cells10040912

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Retroposition is RNA-based gene duplication leading to the creation of single exon nonfunctional copies. Nevertheless, over time, many of these duplicates acquire transcriptional capabilities. In human in most cases, these so-called retrogenes do not code for proteins but function as regulatory long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). The mechanisms by which they can regulate other genes include microRNA sponging, modulation of alternative splicing, epigenetic regulation and competition for stabilizing factors, among others. Here, we summarize recent findings related to lncRNAs originating from retrocopies that are involved in human diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative, mental or cardiovascular disorders. Special attention is given to retrocopies that regulate their progenitors or host genes. Presented evidence from the literature and our bioinformatics analyses demonstrates that these retrocopies, often described as unimportant pseudogenes, are significant players in the cell’s molecular machinery.

【 授权许可】

Unknown