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miRNA-Mediated RNAa by Targeting Enhancers

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RNA Activation

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 983))

Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that act as negative regulators of gene expression in the cytoplasm. Yet, emerging evidence has shown that miRNAs are also distributed in the nucleus, with its function largely undetermined. At the same time, while miRNAs and enhancers show obvious tissue specificity, the interaction between miRNAs and enhancers in gene regulation remains unknown. By screening miRNA databases, we have identified a subset of miRNAs, called nuclear activating miRNAs (NamiRNAs). As enhancer regulators, NamiRNAs are able to activate gene expression at the transcriptional level. In addition, we found that the regulation of enhancers mediated by NamiRNAs depends on the presence of intact enhancers and AGO2 protein. More interesting is that NamiRNAs promote global gene transcription through the binding and activation of their targeted enhancers. Our results demonstrate a novel role for miRNA as an enhancer trigger for transcriptional gene activation. Further study of the function and molecular mechanism for NamiRNAs in tumorigenesis and development is of great significance.

Qingping Zou and Ying Liang contributed equally to this work.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of RNA Epigenetics, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences & Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Cancer Metastasis Institute, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

      Qingping Zou, Ying Liang, Huaibing Luo & Wenqiang Yu

    2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Medical College, Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Department of Molecular Biology, Fudan University, 130 Dong-An Road, Shanghai, 200032, China

      Qingping Zou, Ying Liang, Huaibing Luo & Wenqiang Yu

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    1. Qingping Zou
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    2. Ying Liang
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    3. Huaibing Luo
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    4. Wenqiang Yu
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    Correspondence to Wenqiang Yu .

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    Editors and Affiliations

    1. Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China

      Long-Cheng Li

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    © 2017 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

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    Zou, Q., Liang, Y., Luo, H., Yu, W. (2017). miRNA-Mediated RNAa by Targeting Enhancers. In: Li, LC. (eds) RNA Activation. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 983. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4310-9_8

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