LncRNAs: Linking RNA to chromatin

Abstract

Numerous studies over the past decade have identified increasing numbers of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) across many organisms. Research since has shown that lncRNAs constitute an important layer of genome regulation in diverse biological processes and disease. Here, we discuss the common emerging theme of lncRNAs interfacing with epigenetic machinery. This, in turn, modulates the activity and localization of the epigenetic machinery during cell fate specification. © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.