Enhancer RNAs: a class of long noncoding RNAs synthesized at enhancers

TK Kim, M Hemberg, JM Gray - Cold Spring Harbor …, 2015 - cshperspectives.cshlp.org
Cold Spring Harbor perspectives in biology, 2015cshperspectives.cshlp.org
Recent studies have revealed that active enhancers are transcribed, producing a class of
noncoding RNAs called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). eRNAs are distinct from long noncoding
RNAs (lncRNAs), but these two species of noncoding RNAs may share a similar role in the
activation of mRNA transcription. Emerging studies, showing that eRNAs function in
controlling mRNA transcription, challenge the idea that enhancers are merely sites of
transcription factor assembly. Instead, communication between promoters and enhancers …
Recent studies have revealed that active enhancers are transcribed, producing a class of noncoding RNAs called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). eRNAs are distinct from long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), but these two species of noncoding RNAs may share a similar role in the activation of mRNA transcription. Emerging studies, showing that eRNAs function in controlling mRNA transcription, challenge the idea that enhancers are merely sites of transcription factor assembly. Instead, communication between promoters and enhancers can be bidirectional with promoters required to activate enhancer transcription. Reciprocally, eRNAs may then facilitate enhancer–promoter interaction or activate promoter-driven transcription.
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