Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Chillón, Isabel
• Marcia, Marco

Titel

The molecular structure of long non-coding RNAs: emerging patterns and functional implications

Ist Teil von

• Critical reviews in biochemistry and molecular biology, 2020-11, Vol.55 (6), p.662-690

Ort / Verlag

England: Taylor & Francis

Erscheinungsjahr

2020

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Taylor & Francis

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently-discovered transcripts that regulate vital cellular processes and are crucially connected to diseases. Despite their unprecedented molecular complexity, it is emerging that lncRNAs possess distinct structural motifs. Remarkably, the 3D shape and topology of full-length, native lncRNAs have been visualized for the first time in the last year. These studies reveal that lncRNA structures dictate lncRNA functions. Here, we review experimentally determined lncRNA structures and emphasize that lncRNA structural characterization requires synergistic integration of computational, biochemical and biophysical approaches. Based on these emerging paradigms, we discuss how to overcome the challenges posed by the complex molecular architecture of lncRNAs, with the goal of obtaining a detailed understanding of lncRNA functions and molecular mechanisms in the future.