Page 32 - IBRO_RNA School_Abstract Book
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Long noncoding RNAs: Versatile molecules guiding
mammalian development
Zhumur Ghosh
Bose Institute, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs) which were previously considered to be junk, are
now known to play diverse functions including the regulation of gene expression,
genomic reprogramming, X-chromosome inactivation, genomic imprinting, nuclear
compartmentalization, and in the control of the cell cycle and apoptosis etc. These
molecules are also emerging as an essential player in regulating mammalian
development. These are versatile molecules which are > 200 nucleotides (nts) long
and are most often endowed with poly(A) tail, undergo splicing and have high tissue
specificity.
Neural development is a complicated process where multipotent neural stem cell
(NSC) differentiates to neuron, astrocyte and oligodendrocyte via neural progenitor
cell (NPC). We have initially organized and characterized lncRNAs based on their
genomic localisation. Thereafter, we have investigated lncRNA-gene interactions
that lead to the cellular transition from NSC to the terminally differentiated states
corresponding to neuron, astrocyte and oligodendrocyte.
*Correspondence email: zhumur@jcbose.ac.in; ghosh.jhumur@gmail.com
