Figure 2. Model for RT-mediated control of the transcriptome in cancer cells.

Coding and non-coding RNAs constituting the transcriptome of normal cells (left side of the figure) are intercepted by the highly expressed RT in transformed cells (central part of the figure), reverse-transcribed and converted in RNA:DNA hybrid structures, with the ensuing transcriptome dysregulation in cancer cells (right side of the figure). Inhibition of RT activity in cancer cells restores the normal regulatory RNA profile and reverts the cell phenotype from cancer to normal.