Navigating Non-coding RNA: From Biogenesis to Therapeutic Application provides a concise overview of the field of non-coding RNA (ncRNA). Chapters cover the history of discoveries that have occurred in the area of ncRNA, specific types of ncRNA, housekeeping ncRNAs such as ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, small nuclear RNA and telomerase RNA, regulatory ncRNAs such as microRNA, small interfering RNA, long non-coding RNA and Y RNA. Biogenesis, structure, function, and regulation of each of these are also explored in addition to traditional and cutting-edge methods for the identification, functional characterization and structural characterization of ncRNA. The book also focuses on the different types of epitranscriptomic modifications and their involvement in regulating ncRNA structure, stability and intermolecular interactions in addition to the role of ncRNAs in a range of diseases and potential therapeutic applications. Covers a wide range of non-coding RNAs, including ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, telomerase RNA, microRNA, small interfering RNA and circular RNA Features both traditional and novel methodologies for investigating ncRNA, from microarray and conventional chemical probing to CAGE-seq and computational methods Includes chapters on ncRNAs in a range of diseases, including cancers, neurological disorders, cardiovascular conditions and infectious illnesses Discusses novel therapeutic strategies for targeting ncRNAs, including CRISP/Ca9 applications and RNAi-based strategies Explores the molecular mechanisms and intermolecular interactions of ncRNA

This contributed volume offers a comprehensive and detailed overview of the various aspects of long non-coding RNAs and discusses their emerging significance. Written by leading experts in the field, it motivates young researchers around the globe, and offers graduate and postgraduate students fascinating insights into genes and their regulation in eukaryotes and higher organisms.

The growth of human population has increased the demand for improved yield and quality of crops and horticultural plants. However, plant productivity continues to be threatened by stresses such as heat, cold, drought, heavy metals, UV radiations, bacterial and fungal pathogens, and insect pests. Long noncoding RNAs are associated with various developmental pathways, regulatory systems, abiotic and biotic stress responses and signaling, and can provide an alternative strategy for stress management in plants. Long Noncoding RNAs in Plants: Roles in development and stress provides the most recent advances in LncRNAs, including identification, characterization, and their potential applications and uses. Introductory chapters include the basic features and brief history of development of lncRNAs studies in plants. The book then provides the knowledge about the lncRNAs in various important agricultural and horticultural crops such as cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables, and fiber crop cotton, and their roles and applications in abiotic and biotic stress management. Includes the latest advances and research in long noncoding RNAs in plants Provides alternative strategies for abiotic and biotic stress management in horticultural plants and agricultural crops Focuses on the application and uses of long noncoding RNAs

The 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to the discoverers of RNA interference, Andrew Fire and Craig Mello. This prize, which follows “RNA” Nobels for splicing and RNA catalysis, highlights just one class of recently discovered non-protein coding RNAs. Remarkably, non-coding RNAs are thought to outnumber protein coding genes in mammals by perhaps as much as four-fold. In fact, it appears that the complexity of an organism correlates with the fraction of its genome devoted to non-protein coding RNAs. Essential biological processes as diverse as cell differentiation, suppression of infecting viruses and parasitic tra- posons, higher-level organization of eukaryotic chromosomes, and gene expression are found to be largely directed by non-protein coding RNAs. Currently, bioinformatic, high-throughput sequencing, and biochemical approaches are identifying an increasing number of these RNAs. Unfortunately, our ability to characterize the molecular details of these RNAs is significantly lacking. The biophysical study of these RNAs is an emergent field that is unraveling the molecular underpinnings of how RNA fulfills its multitude of roles in sustaining cellular life. The resulting understanding of the physical and chemical processes at the molecular level is critical to our ability to harness RNA for use in biotechnology and human therapy, a prospect that has recently spawned a multi-billion dollar industry.

This book presents a state-of-the-art compilation of articles on the role of non-coding RNAs as pivotal molecules for establishing functional relationships between different organisms. It also describes how non-coding RNA molecules can act as dynamic communication devices and how they modulate the interaction between different kingdoms. It describes examples including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and higher organisms such as protozoa that are involved in pathogenic or symbiotic interactions, and the roles of different families of non-coding RNAs within these relationships. Each chapter provides readers molecular and functional insights, breaking down the subjacent mechanisms and exploring their functional implications and future applications. More than sixty years after the foundation of the “RNA tie club” by George Gamow, new roles for non-coding RNA molecules are starting to be revealed.

General inspection of a role performed in the cell by RNAs allows us to distinguish three major groups of transcripts: I. protein-coding mRNAs, II. non-coding housekeeping and III. regulatory RNAs. The housekeeping RNAs include RNA classes that are generally, constitutively expressed and whose presence is required for normal function and viability of the cells. On the other hand, a group of regulatory RNAs includes RNA species that are expressed at certain stages of organism development or cell differentiation or as a response to external stimuli and can affect expression of other genes on the levels of transcription or translation. Non-coding RNA transcripts form a heterogeneous class of RNAs that can not be characterized by a single specific function. Initially, the term non-coding RNA (ncRNA) was used primarily to describe polyadenylated and a capped eukaryotic RNAs transcribed by RNA polymerase II, but lacking long open reading frames. Now, this definition can be extended to cover all RNA transcripts that do not show protein-coding capacity and is sometimes used to describe any RNA that does not encode protein, including introns. This book is an in-depth look at the function of Non-Coding RNAs and their relationship to Molecular Biology and Molecular Biology.

The ‘RNA world’ hypothesis that proposed RNA molecules as the first form of genetic material was put forwarded in the late 1980s but got impetus only recently when high-throughput sequencing technologies began unearthing new types of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) transcripts in higher eukaryotes. Till then, research on ncRNAs were primarily confined to transfer RNAs and, ribosomal RNAs, which act as the messengers of the protein synthesis and allow translation of genetic information encoded by DNA into proteins. In recent years, the integration of high-throughput genomic technologies with molecular biology and omics sciences have revolutionized the fields of ncRNA research by identifying the hidden treasures of several new types of ncRNAs encoded in the genomes of several organisms and decrypting their versatile roles in gene expression and epigenetics. Among these, two small endogenous ncRNAs, namely microRNAs (miRNAs) and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) that drive argonaute (AGO) family of proteins namely Ago and Piwi respectively and silence the expression of genes have geared up molecular and disease biology research in recent years. Both miRNAs and piRNAs are expressed in higher eukaryotes, including human and act as cellular rheostats by regulating the expression of significant fraction of genes encoded in the genomes. The aberrant expressions of these small ncRNAs within the cells cause various abnormalities and diseases including cancer. Manipulating their aberrant expression or function can serve as potential novel diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and bring in new therapeutic strategies for multiple human diseases. This can be further translated from bench-side to clinic for improving human health. This book captures the essence of the pioneering work of some of the world’s leading researchers showcasing the scientific excitements surrounding the evolving regulatory roles of miRNAs and piRNAs highlighting their potential towards the diagnosis and therapeutics of various diseases. The book is geared towards scientists, students, and will particularly appeal to active investigators in RNA biology, molecular biology, cancer research as well as clinicians and will provide them a comprehensive view of recent discoveries and research progresses to utilize miRNAs, piRNAs and their interacting proteins, Ago and Piwi for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics of diseases. Provides a unified cutting-edge resource for both miRNAs and piRNAs, two promising AGO-clade small ncRNAs, their functions and potential applications Showcase high-throughput technologies and other approaches for discovery of these small ncRNAs and their targets Unveils the diverse molecular mechanisms by which miRNAs and piRNAs regulate gene expression in animal cells Showcase recent discoveries on involvement of Argonaute and Piwi proteins in different biological processes and diseases as well as their possible use in diagnosis Report breakthroughs in the use of small ncRNAs for diagnosis and personalized therapy