ABSTRACT

The majority of transcriptionally active RNA derived from the mammalian genome does not code for protein. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) is the most abundant form of noncoding RNA found in the brain and is involved in many aspects of cellular metabolism. Beyond their fundamental role in the nucleus as decoys for RNA-binding proteins associated with alternative splicing or as guides for the epigenetic regulation of protein-coding gene expression, recent findings indicate that activity-induced lncRNAs also regulate neural plasticity. In this review, we discuss how lncRNAs may exert molecular control over brain function beyond their known roles in the nucleus. We propose that subcellular localization is a critical feature of experience-dependent lncRNA activity in the brain, and that lncRNA-mediated control over RNA metabolism at the synapse serves to regulate local mRNA stability and translation, thereby influencing neuronal function, learning and memory.

摘要

大多数源自哺乳动物基因组的转录活性 RNA 不编码蛋白质。长链非编码 RNA (lncRNA) 是大脑中发现的最丰富的非编码 RNA 形式，参与细胞代谢的许多方面。除了它们在细胞核中作为与选择性剪接相关的 RNA 结合蛋白的诱饵或作为蛋白质编码基因表达的表观遗传调控的指南之外，最近的研究结果表明，活性诱导的 lncRNA 还调节神经可塑性。在这篇综述中，我们讨论了 lncRNA 如何在其已知的细胞核作用之外对大脑功能施加分子控制。我们提出亚细胞定位是大脑中依赖于经验的 lncRNA 活动的一个关键特征，