The interaction between polycomb-repressive complexes 1/2 (PRC1/2) and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), such as the X inactive specific transcript Xist and the HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR), has been the subject of intense debate. While cross-linking, immuno-precipitation and super-resolution microscopy argue against direct interaction of Polycomb with some lncRNAs, there is increasing evidence supporting the ability of both PRC1 and PRC2 to functionally associate with RNA. Recent data indicate that these interactions are in most cases spurious, but nonetheless crucial for a number of cellular activities. In this review, we suggest that while PRC1/2 recruitment by HOTAIR might be direct, in the case of Xist, it might occur indirectly and, at least in part, through the process of liquid–liquid phase separation. We present recent models of lncRNA-mediated PRC1/2 recruitment to their targets and describe potential RNA-mediated roles in the three-dimensional organization of the nucleus.

多梳抑制复合物 1/2 (PRC1/2) 和长链非编码 RNA (lncRNA) 之间的相互作用，例如 X 失活的特异性转录物Xist和 HOX 转录物反义 RNA (HOTAIR)，一直是激烈争论的主题. 虽然交联、免疫沉淀和超分辨率显微镜反对 Polycomb 与某些 lncRNA 的直接相互作用，但越来越多的证据支持 PRC1 和 PRC2 与 RNA 功能性关联的能力。最近的数据表明，这些相互作用在大多数情况下是虚假的，但对许多细胞活动仍然至关重要。在本次审查中，我们建议虽然HOTAIR 的PRC1/2 招募可能是直接的，但在Xist的情况下，它可能间接发生，至少部分通过液-液相分离过程发生。我们介绍了 lncRNA 介导的 PRC1/2 招募到其靶标的最新模型，并描述了在细胞核的三维组织中潜在的 RNA 介导的作用。