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Turkish Journal of Biology

Abstract

New and diverse groups of noncoding RNAs are beginning to be discovered. These noncoding RNAs are grouped based on their sizes, genomic positions, or distinctive functions ranging from the regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression to genome stability maintenance. Among noncoding RNAs, microRNAs are the best studied and understood small RNAs with direct and indirect roles in normal and in cancer cells. Given the high rate of transcription from noncoding parts of the genome, other noncoding elements are also of great interest. It is also of interest to understand that there may be interesting cases of crosstalk and/or coregulation between the noncoding and the coding portion of the genome. Therefore, deregulated expression of noncoding RNAs can be considered to cause significant alterations in cancer cells. The complexities of the genome and transcriptome still remain mesmerizing. As we better understand these complexities, we will be able to improve our understanding of human conditions and will hopefully develop tools to improve the ways in which we deal with diseases, particularly cancer. Here, based on recent findings, we provide a descriptive profile of noncoding RNA classes, their roles, and their potential contributions to the complex events of tumorigenesis.

DOI

10.3906/biy-1404-104

Keywords

Noncoding RNAs, cancer, long noncoding RNAs, small noncoding RNAs, microRNAs

First Page

817

Last Page

828

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