Summary:
Although thousands of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed in the
mammalian nervous system, their roles in brain development are elusive. Here,
we identified lncRNA Ariel as a key regulator of
binary fate decisions in neural stem cells (NSCs) during brain development.
Ariel (831 bp) is transcribed from the Prox1 genomic locus in an anti-parallel
manner in mouse embryonic brain. We have previously
shown that Prox1, a homeobox transcription factor, controls neuronal
differentiation of NSCs during nervous system development (Kaltezioti et al,
PLoS Biology, 2010; Elkouris et al, Stem Cells, 2011; Foskolou et al, Oncogene,
2013; Kaltezioti et al, J Neuroscience, 2014). Collectively, our observations,
presented here, suggest that Ariel - Prox1 genomic locus act as a key
regulator of the switch between neurogenesis and astrogliogenesis in
NSCs.
Keywords:
Neurogenesis, Astrogliogenesis, Neural stem cells, lncRNA Ariel, Brain development