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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Jun 5.
Published in final edited form as: Cell Stem Cell. 2014 Jun 5;14(6):752–761. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2014.05.014

Figure 2. lncRNAs program active and silent chromatin states.

Figure 2

(Top) In ESCs active chromatin is achieved and maintained through multiple mechanisms. Cis acting lncRNAs can recruit the MLL/WDR5 complex to deposit H3K4me3 at promoters. Enhancer regions can transcribe enhancer RNAs (eRNAs); some enhancer-like RNAs bring Mediator to promoters to contribute to gene activation. Additionally, through interactions with the nascent transcribed RNA, canonical silencing factors such as PRC2 and DNMT1 are titrated away from active chromatin. (Bottom) Chromatin also employs many lncRNA-based mechanisms to stay silent. Ezh2 and JAIRD2 (subunits of PRC2) may bind lncRNAs to facilitate specific chromatin targeting or to enhance PRC2 complex assembly and stability. Additionally, when nascent RNA production is low, DNMT1 can interact with the chromatin and act to silence through DNA methylation.