Animal Endo-SiRNAs

Damski, Caio, Morris, Kevin V., Caio Damski, Kevin V. Morris

A growing body of evidence suggests that noncoding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts play a fundamental role in regulating gene expression via targeting epigenetic modifications to particular loci in the genome. Classical examples of such regulation are X-chromosome inactivation and genomic imprinting; however it is now clear that ncRNAs exert their influence over a wider array of genes throughout the metazoan genome. Accumulating evidence suggests that the ncRNAs act as guides for epigenetic silencing complexes to specific sites within the genome. Those ncRNAs involved in regulating the expression of particular protein-coding genes offer panoply of targets that when suppressed can result in derepression or activation of the ncRNA-targeted locus. Recent work has determined the underlying mechanisms involved in ncRNA-targeted epigenetic regulation in a subset of genes. These findings have resulted in a paradigm shift whereby targeted gene activation can be achieved, by targeting endogenous regulatory ncRNAs, producing potential novel treatments for genetic and infectious diseases where increases in gene expression are required.