Genome Res：两ncRNA的新功能

　　

生物通报道，自从非编码RNA发现以来，microRNA，piRNA等研究一日千里，然而，几经努力科学家们对RNA这个大宝藏的挖掘还仅仅在表层，更多的RNA知识有待我们进一步的开发。

 

来自冷泉港的科学家在近期的Genome Research上发表新的看法，他们用芯片技术找出两种非编码RNA的新功能。研究发现两种ncRNA，分别是：MENβ和MENε，这两种非编码RNA对细胞核内RNA-蛋白复合体（paraspeckles）的结构和形态的维持具有关键的作用。

 

研究发现如果缺失MENβ和MENε将导致核内RNA-蛋白复合物破裂。如果用DRB处理细胞释放转录因子抑制剂，则导致核内RNA-蛋白复合体的形成受到抑制。

 

这些结果表明，MENβ和MENε两种非编码RNA是调节核内RNA-蛋白复合体结构形态的关键因子。

（生物通 小茜）

生物通推荐原文检索：MEN ε/β nuclear-retained non-coding RNAs are up-regulated upon muscle differentiation and are essential components of paraspeckles

【Abstract】

Studies of the transcriptional output of the human and mouse genomes have revealed that there are many more transcripts produced than can be accounted for by predicted protein-coding genes. Using a custom microarray, we have identified 184 non-coding RNAs that exhibit more than twofold up- or down-regulation upon differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts into myotubes. Here, we focus on the Men ε/β locus, which is up-regulated 3.3-fold during differentiation. Two non-coding RNA isoforms are produced from a single RNA polymerase II promoter, differing in the location of their 3′ ends. Men ε is a 3.2-kb polyadenylated RNA, whereas Men β is an ∼20-kb transcript containing a genomically encoded poly(A)-rich tract at its 3′-end. The 3′-end of Men β is generated by RNase P cleavage. The Men ε/β transcripts are localized to nuclear paraspeckles and directly interact with NONO. Knockdown of MEN ε/β expression results in the disruption of nuclear paraspeckles. Furthermore, the formation of paraspeckles, after release from transcriptional inhibition by DRB treatment, was suppressed in MEN ε/β-depleted cells. Our findings indicate that the MEN ε/β non-coding RNAs are essential structural/organizational components of paraspeckles. （生物通）