Research Progress on Plant Long Non-Coding RNA

Abstract

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that were once considered “dark matter” or “transcriptional noise” in genomes are research hotspots in the field of epigenetics. The most well-known microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short non-coding, small molecular weight RNAs with lengths of 20–24 nucleotides that are highly conserved throughout evolution. Through complementary pairing with the bases of target sites, target gene transcripts are cleaved and degraded, or translation is inhibited, thus regulating the growth and development of organisms. Unlike miRNAs, which have been studied thoroughly, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a group of poorly conserved RNA molecules with a sequence length of more than 200 nucleotides and no protein encoding capability; they interact with large molecules, such as DNA, RNA, and proteins, and regulate protein modification, chromatin remodeling, protein functional activity, and RNA metabolism in vivo through cis- or trans-activation at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and epigenetic levels. Research on plant lncRNAs is just beginning and has gradually emerged in the field of plant molecular biology. Currently, some studies have revealed that lncRNAs are extensively involved in plant growth and development and stress response processes by mediating the transmission and expression of genetic information. This paper systematically introduces lncRNA and its regulatory mechanisms, reviews the current status and progress of lncRNA research in plants, summarizes the main techniques and strategies of lncRNA research in recent years, and discusses existing problems and prospects, in order to provide ideas for further exploration and verification of the specific evolution of plant lncRNAs and their biological functions.

Integrated analysis of lncRNA and mRNA transcriptomes reveals the potential regulatory role of lncRNA in kiwifruit ripening and softening

“…Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a class of transcripts comprising more than 200 nucleotides, which lack protein-coding ability. LncRNAs can be classified into three types according to their genomic positions and orientations relative to adjacent protein-coding genes: long intergenic lncRNA (lincRNA), intronic lncRNA, and antisense lncRNA 20 . LncRNAs were reported to play important roles in various biological processes, including chromatin remodeling, gene transcription, post-transcriptional regulation, and protein modification 20 , 21 .…”

Dynamic Changes of Ascorbic Acid Occurring During Fruit Development and Ripening of Actinida Latifolia and Their Associated Molecular Mechanisms Deciphered by Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis

“…S1). LncRNA represents a novel class of non-coding RNA but plays a regulatory role in a range of biological process, such as plant growth and developmentand stress responses [18]. In the present study, lncRNA was identi ed by a combination of CPC, CNCI, Pfam, and CPAT databases (Fig.…”

PacBio single molecule real-time sequencing-based full-length transcriptome of tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) and mining of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers

“…9) were thoroughly analyzed. LncRNA represents a novel class of nonprotein coding transcripts and exerts a regulatory effect on numerous biological process [41]. In this study, a rigorous screening criterion combined with CPC, CNCI and Pfam databases lead to the identi cation of lncRNA (Fig.…”