RNA polymerase (RNAP)II frequently transcribes non-protein-coding DNA sequences in eukaryotic genomes into long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). Distinct molecular mechanisms linked to the position of lncRNA relative to the coding gene illustrate how noncoding transcription controls gene expression. Here, we focus on the impact of the act of lncRNA transcription on nearby functional DNA units. We review the biological significance of the act of lncRNA transcription on DNA processing, highlighting common themes, such as mediating cellular responses to environmental changes. This review combines the background of chromatin signaling with examples in several organisms to clarify when functions of ncDNA can be interpreted through the act of RNAPII transcription.

RNA 聚合酶 (RNAP) II 经常将真核生物基因组中的非蛋白质编码 DNA 序列转录成长链非编码 RNA (lncRNA)。与 lncRNA 相对于编码基因的位置相关的不同分子机制说明了非编码转录如何控制基因表达。在这里，我们关注 lncRNA 转录行为对附近功能性 DNA 单元的影响。我们回顾了 lncRNA 转录对 DNA 加工的生物学意义，突出了共同的主题，例如介导细胞对环境变化的反应。本综述将染色质信号转导的背景与几种生物体中的例子相结合，以阐明何时可以通过 RNAPII 转录的行为来解释 ncDNA 的功能。