RNA interference uncouples the function of a long noncoding RNA product from that of its transcription [SUM159]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression via their RNA product or through transcriptional interference, yet a strategy to differentiate these two processes is missing. We employed siRNAs to specifically target GNG12-AS1, a lncRNA overlapping the tumour suppressor DIRAS3, transcriptionally or post-transcriptionally. lncRNA transcriptional silencing by siRNA was mediated by Argounate 2 and led to the upregulation of DIRAS3 transcription through switch in RNA polymerase II binding and active histone marks. Conversely, post-transcriptional silencing of GNG12-AS1 had no effect on DIRAS3 expression. Thus, our findings reveal how RNAi machinery can be used to decouple the process and products of lncRNA transcription.

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