A guide to naming human non‐coding RNA genes

Abstract

Research on non‐coding RNA (ncRNA) is a rapidly expanding field. Providing an official gene symbol and name to ncRNA genes brings order to otherwise potential chaos as it allows unambiguous communication about each gene. The HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC, http://www.genenames.org) is the only group with the authority to approve symbols for human genes. The HGNC works with specialist advisors for different classes of ncRNA to ensure that ncRNA nomenclature is accurate and informative, where possible. Here, we review each major class of ncRNA that is currently annotated in the human genome and describe how each class is assigned a standardised nomenclature.

Our emerging understanding of the roles of long non-coding RNAs in normal liver function, disease, and malignancy

“…Long noncoding RNAs are classified according to their sites of transcription relative to annotated protein-coding genes [24] (Figure 2). Transcripts that do not overlap with known protein-coding or small RNA-coding genes are termed long intervening non-coding (linc) RNAs [12,17].…”

“…Transcription of the divergent lncRNA can be facilitated by a shared bi-directional promoter that induces the expression of both lncRNA and protein-coding genes [34]. A criterion that is increasingly being used to define this class of lncRNAs is whether the lncRNA transcription starts within 300-500 base pairs of the transcription start site (TSS) of a protein-coding gene [24].…”

miRNA-based biomarkers, therapies, and resistance in Cancer

“…Besides, a suffixed letter was used to distinguish close-related miRNAs, which we can see in miR-34a, miR-29b, miR-519c, among others. In keeping with miRBase, the HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee (HGNC) also makes special gene symbols for miRNA genes 6 , 7 , which we have not introduced in detail here.…”

Dual Effects of Non-Coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in Cancer Stem Cell Biology

“…MiRNAs: As their name declares, microRNAs (miRNAs) are small, linear, and single-stranded ncRNA molecules, with an average length of 22 nucleotides [ 13 , 14 ]. miRNAs contribute to a wide range of normal and abnormal biological processes by functioning in RNA silencing and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.…”

“…As their name suggests, the members of the ncRNA family have little to no protein coding ability, which is why they have been initially considered as ‘junk RNA.’ Recent advances in ncRNA research have revealed that they may act as key regulators of physiological programs in developmental and disease contexts; thus, they are of utmost importance [ 7 , 8 ]. ncRNAs including long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), are critical adjusters in an assortment of cellular elaboration by forming functional regulatory molecules that mediate cellular processes, including chromatin remodeling, transcription, post-transcriptional modifications, and signal transduction [ 6 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”