Genome complexity; gene expression (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, February 18, 2013, 15:58 (4297 days ago) @ David Turell

Long non-coding RNa controls gene expression. Important in fetal development; forms loops with DNA:-http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130217134240.htm-"To discover how such enhancer-like RNAs function, the Shiekhatter laboratory deleted candidate molecules with known roles in activating gene expression, and assessed if they were related to RNA-dependent activation. They found that depleting components of the protein complex known as Mediator specifically and potently diminished the ability of ncRNA-a to start the process of transcribing a gene into RNA. Further, they found that these activating ncRNAs can attach to Mediator at multiple locations within the Mediator protein complex, and Mediator itself can interact with the enhancer element site on DNA that encodes these activating ncRNAs. Their results also determined how mutations in a protein that makes up the Mediator complex, called MED12, drastically diminishes Mediator's ability to associate with activating ncRNAs."-Yes, complexity