page_title: Enhancer RNA
section_title: Proposed mechanisms of function
hierarchical_section_title: Enhancer RNA / Proposed mechanisms of function
caption_attribution_description: English: Four mechanisms by which eRNAs can function
context_page_description: Enhancer RNAs represent a class of relatively short non-coding RNA molecules transcribed from the DNA sequence of enhancer regions. They were first detected in 2010 through the use of genome-wide techniques such as RNA-seq and ChIP-seq. eRNAs can be subdivided into two main classes: 1D eRNAs and 2D eRNAs, which differ primarily in terms of their size, polyadenylation state, and transcriptional directionality. The expression of a given eRNA seems to correlate with the activity of its corresponding enhancer in a context-dependent fashion. Increasing evidence suggests that eRNAs actively play a role in transcriptional regulation in cis and in trans, and while their mechanisms of action remain unclear, a few models have been proposed.
context_section_description: The notions that not all enhancers are transcribed at the same time and that eRNA transcription correlates with enhancer-specific activity support the idea that individual eRNAs carry distinct and relevant biological functions. However, there is still no consensus on the functional significance of eRNAs. Furthermore, eRNAs can easily be degraded through exosomes and nonsense-mediated decay, which limits their potential as important transcriptional regulators. To date, four main models of eRNA function have been proposed, each supported by different lines of experimental evidence.
caption: Proposed Mechanisms of eRNA Function
exif: {}