There is now compelling evidence that the complexity of higher organisms correlates with the relative amount of non-coding RNA rather than the number of protein-coding genes. Previously dismissed as “junk DNA”, it is the non-coding regions of the genome that are responsible for regulation, facilitating complex temporal and spatial gene expression through the combinatorial effect of numerous mechanisms and interactions working together to fine-tune gene expression. The major regions involved in regulation of a particular gene are the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions and introns. In addition, pervasive transcription of complex genomes produces a variety of non-coding transcripts that interact with these regions and contribute to regulation. This review discusses recent insights into the regulatory roles of the untranslated gene regions and non-coding RNAs in the control of complex gene expression, as well as the implications of this in terms of organism complexity and evolution.

While treatment for burn injury has improved significantly over the past few decades, reducing mortality and improving patient outcomes, recent evidence has revealed that burn injury is associated with a number of secondary pathologies, many of which arise long after the initial injury has healed. Population studies have linked burn injury with increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, nervous system disorders, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, gastrointestinal disease, infections, anxiety and depression. The wide range of secondary pathologies indicates that burn can cause sustained disruption of homeostasis, presenting new challenges for post-burn care. Understanding burn injury as a chronic disease will improve patient care, providing evidence for better long-term support and monitoring of patients. Through focused research into the mechanisms underpinning long-term dysfunction, a better understanding of burn injury pathology may help with the development of preventative treatments to improve long-term health outcomes. The review will outline evidence of long-term health effects, possible mechanisms linking burn injury to long-term health and current research into burns as a chronic disease.

Complex lung diseases, such as asthma, are influenced by both genetic predisposition and environmental stimuli. The epigenetic landscape of such diseases is attracting increasing interest and research. Epigenetics broadly covers the transient and the inheritable changes to gene expression that are not directly due to changes in nucleotide sequences. Epigenetic mechanisms could have significant impact on asthma-related allergic, immune, and regulatory pathways, as well as on the generation of biomarkers and the heritable transmission of asthma phenotypes. Recent technological advances have allowed mapping of the epigenome and analysis of genome-wide epigenetic contributors to disease. As a result, ground-breaking observations regarding histone post-translational modifications in a number of immunological diseases have emerged. In this review, we look beyond the biological information coded by DNA and review the epigenetic modifications made to histones, with evidence suggesting a role for their modification in asthma.