Role for lncRNA in regulation of development

Direct role demonstrated for the long non-coding RNA Hottip in regulation of Hoxa genes important in development

Long RNA molecules that do not code for proteins (long noncoding RNAs/lncRNAs) are suggested to regulate other genes, but how they do this is not understood. By manipulating the production and structure of the lncRNA Hottip, Pradeepa and colleagues at the MRC Human Genetics Unit have shown that the Hottip lncRNA directly regulates the expression of neighbouring protein-coding genes with importance in development.

PLoS Genet. 2017 Apr 6;13(4):e1006677. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006677