When non-coding is not enough

Abstract

A new concept is emerging in the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) field: an increasing number of ncRNAs in fact codify for short peptides that have biological activities. In this issue of JEM, Wang et al. (https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20190950) report the identification of a long ncRNA (lncRNA)–encoded 60–amino acid polypeptide that they name ASRPS, as well as its ability to inhibit angiogenesis in the deadly triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).