Figure 1.

Models of lncRNA functions. Nuclear lncRNAs can regulate transcription by acting as enhancer RNA (eRNA) (A), by recruiting chromatin modifying complexes (B), or by regulating transcription factors activity (C). Moreover, they can regulate gene expression by acting on the spatial conformation of chromosomes (D) or by influencing pre-mRNA splicing (E). Cytoplasmic lncRNAs can regulate mRNA expression by regulating mRNA stability (F), mRNA translation (G), or by competing for microRNA binding (H). In addition, few lncRNAs contain small open reading frames (ORFs) that can be translated in biological active small peptides (I).