2021 年度 生命科学技術国際卓越講義
World-leading Innovative Lecturesin Life Science & Technology
The University of Tokyo

Long non-coding RNAs in cellular networks and genome regulation

Prof. Piero Carninci
Head of Genomics Research Centre – Functional Genomics, Genomics；
Research group leader, Carninci Group Team Leader for Laboratory for Transcriptome Technologyand Deputy Centre Director at the RIKEN
Date: Monday, December 6, 2021
Time: 9:30AM ～ 11:00AM
Venue: Zoom (meeting URL will be sent after registering)
Participants: Up to 500 participants
Please register by this QR code or clicking the following link
Registration FormAbstractGenome activity is controlled by regulatory sequences, such as promoters and enhancers.
These elements can be mapped by identifying the transcription starting sites (TSSs) of theRNAs that they produce. We previously developed the Cap Analysis of Gene Expression(CAGE) technology, which identifies TSSs at single-base resolution and quantitatively
measures their activity throughout the genome at high-throughput, providing broad insights
into gene regulation.
The FANTOM5 project, centered on CAGE, has generated comprehensive maps of theseregulatory elements and their networks using a comprehensive panel of human and mouseprimary cells and other tissues. We identified more than 223K and 162K promoters and 65K and 44K enhancers, in human andmouse respectively, which show often tissue specificity. We also built a reliable atlas of human lncRNAs based in unambiguous
identification of their promoters, predicting possible function for 19,175 of them. To further explore lncRNAs function, theFANTOM6 project established a large lncRNA knockdown data set by systematically knocking down several hundreds of lncRNAsin human primary fibroblasts and ES cells.
An important subset of lncRNA is constituted by antisense RNAs. We have identified a new class of non-coding antisense RNAs,
named SINEUPs, which counterintuitively up-regulate protein translation of the sense RNA that they overlap. Enhancement ofprotein translation is mediated by SINE elements and the specificity of action is mediated by the region antisense to the 5’UTRs of
the target mRNAs. SINEUPs can be designed to target specifically any targeted mRNAs for therapies, including but not limited tohaploinsufficiencies. The map of precise TSSs identified by CAGE in FANTOM5 gives us information to flexibly design theantisense region for effective SINEUPs in each cell type, allowing to correct unbalanced gene expression in disease models.
Expanding these activities, we are working with Human Cell Atlas (HCA) project, aiming at the creation of a comprehensive map ofall human cells at single cell level. We have developed single cell CAGE and bioinformatics pipeline for the 10X Genomics
platform (Moody et al, Biorxiv, https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.04.438388) allowing CAGE at single cell level, which will bebroadly used to study transcriptional regulation at single cell level.
Organizer: World-leading Innovative Graduate Study Program for Life Science and Technology
Cooperation: Graduate Program for Leaders in Life Innovation, The University of TokyoFor Further Information Contact: Nana Sekine at WINGS-LST Office
Phone: 03-5841-0246 E-mail: wings-life@m.u-tokyo.ac.jp