Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kv7.1

Title: Kcnq1ot1: a chromatin regulatory RNA.

Authors: Chandrasekhar Kanduri

Journal, date & volume: Semin. Cell Dev. Biol., 2011 Jun , 22, 343-50

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21345374

Abstract
There is a growing interest for noncoding RNA (ncRNA)-mediated epigenetic regulation of transcription in diverse biological functions. Recent evidence suggests that a subset of long ncRNA epigenetically regulate the transcription of multiple genes in chromosomal domains via interaction with chromatin. Kcnq1ot1 is one such long chromatin-interacting ncRNA that silences multiple genes in the Kcnq1 domain by establishing a repressive higher order chromatin structure. This is done by the recruitment of chromatin and DNA-modifying proteins. This review looks at recent evidence supporting the notion that Kcnq1ot1-mediated silencing is a multilayered pathway. Comparing the mode of action of Kcnq1ot1 with other well-investigated chromatin regulatory long ncRNAs, such as Xist, HOTAIR and Airn, revealed that chromatin regulatory ncRNAs share common epigenetic pathways in the silencing of multiple genes.