Noncoding RNA Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to noncoding RNAs and their functions in regulating gene expression as discussed in Dr. Frank Stearns' BIO 330 lecture.

Riboswitch

An RNA whose activity is controlled by a small ligand, which may be a metabolite product.

Ligand

Any molecule that binds to another molecule, often affecting its activity.

Aptamer

An RNA domain that binds a small molecule, which can result in a conformational change in the RNA.

Antisense gene

A gene that codes for an RNA that has a complementary sequence to an RNA that is its target.

Antisense RNA

RNA that has a complementary sequence to an RNA that is its target.

Transcriptional interference (TI)

Occurs when an overlapping transcript on the same or opposite strand prevents transcription of another gene.

Long ncRNAs (lincRNAs)

Noncoding RNAs longer than 200 nucleotides, without an open reading frame, and produced by RNA polymerase II.

Nested gene

A gene located within an intron of another gene.

Regulator RNA

RNA that can form a duplex region with a target RNA, influencing processes like translation or transcription.

Noncoding RNA (ncRNA)

RNA molecules that do not translate into proteins but have various regulatory roles in gene expression.