University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Discovery and analysis of long noncoding RNAs in gene expression control and cell cycle progression

Zong, Xinying

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ZONG-DISSERTATION-2017.pdf

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/97563

Description

Title
Discovery and analysis of long noncoding RNAs in gene expression control and cell cycle progression
Author(s)
Zong, Xinying
Issue Date
2017-04-14
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
Prasanth, K.V.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
Ceman, Stephanie S.
Committee Member(s)
  • Chen, Jie
  • Schuler, Mary A.
  • Katzenellenbogen, Benita S.
Department of Study
Cell & Developmental Biology
Discipline
Cell and Developmental Biology
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2017-08-10T19:51:52Z
Keyword(s)
  • Long noncoding RNA
  • Metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1)
  • Cell cycle
  • Natural antisense transcript
Abstract
Recent advances in transcriptome analysis have revealed that a large proportion of the mammalian genome is transcribed. Thousands of these transcripts are classified as long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), with size larger than 200 nucleotides, but very few have been functionally characterized. Here, I detail a journey of the discovery and analysis of lncRNAs in gene expression control and cell cycle progression, beginning from the characterization of a mutual regulation between lncRNA MALAT1 and its natural antisense transcript TALAM1, followed by the identification and functional characterization of lncRNAs involved in cell cycle progression. The mutual regulation between MALAT1 and TALAM1 presents a novel feed-forward positive regulatory loop at the MALAT1 locus where MALAT1 positively regulates the transcription and stability of TALAM1, and TALAM1 in turn promotes the processing and maturation events of MALAT1 which are essential to maintain the high cellular levels of MALAT1. In the characterization of functional lncRNAs in cell cycle progression, I focus on an S phase-upregulated lncRNA, termed S7, and demonstrate that it plays crucial roles in cell cycle progression and tumorigenicity, through regulating the expression of genes in the cellular proliferation network including the Hippo signaling pathway. Altogether, these studies support a model whereby pervasive lncRNA transcripts, previously regarded as transcriptional byproducts, function through diverse mechanisms as critical regulators of gene expression and the vital cell cycle processes.
Graduation Semester
2017-05
Type of Resource
text
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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/97563
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2017 Xinying Zong

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Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Cell and Developmental Biology