An evolutionarily conserved RNA structure in the functional core of the lincRNA Cyrano

• DOI: 10.1261/rna.076117.120
• Publication Date: 2020-05-27T01:04:40Z
• Authors: Alisha N. Jones; Giuseppina Pisignano; Thomas Pavelitz; Jessica White; Martin Kinisu; Nicholas Forino; Dreycey Albin; Gabriele Varani
• Keywords: Conserved sequence; Nucleic acid structure

The wide prevalence and regulated expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) highlight their functional roles, but the molecular basis for activities structure-function relationships remains to be investigated, with few exceptions. Among relatively lncRNAs conserved over significant evolutionary distances is intergenic RNA (lincRNA) Cyrano (orthologous human OIP5-AS1), which contains a region 300 highly nucleotides within tetrapods, in turn stretch 26 nt deep conservation. This binds facilitates degradation microRNA miR-7, short ncRNA multiple cellular functions, including modulation oncogenic expression. We probed secondary structure vitro cells using chemical enzymatic probing, validated results comparative sequence analysis. At center core cloverleaf maintained >400 million years divergent evolution that separates fish primates. strikingly motif provides interaction sites several RNA-binding proteins masks recognition site miR-7. Conservation this strongly suggests function depends on formation structure, could modulate rate efficiency