Enhancer-associated RNAs as activators of regeneration program

Abstract

Tissue regeneration requires a rapid change in the phenotype of cells, which means a global switch in their gene expression. Regulation of gene expression remains perhaps the main mystery in biology, despite the wealth of knowledge accumulated about the structure of genes, the functioning of their regulatory elements, and the mechanisms of recruiting and activating RNA polymerases.According to recent data, enhancer RNAs — short-lived non-coding molecules transcribed from active enhancers — may play a decisive role in the rapid activation of transcriptional programs. The emergence of such RNAs promotes the assembly of so-called super-enhancers and the stabilization of transcriptional condensates, which leads to the activation of transcription of entire gene clusters. This review is devoted to the mechanisms of eRNA involvement in the activation of transcriptional programs involved in tissue regeneration.