The ability of a lncRNA locus to regulate the expression of nearby genes in cis may be attributable to sequence-specific functions of the mature lncRNA transcript (A), may require transcription or splicing of an RNA, but the lncRNA itself is not functional (B), or may be due to DNA elements within the lncRNA promoter or gene body that function independently of the transcribed RNA (C). Pol II, RNA polymerase II; TF, transcription factor.