Telomeric repeat-containing lncRNA TERRA targets non-telomeric DNA in trans via R-loops.

ABSTRACT: Telomeres are transcribed into telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), a long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) with established roles in telomere maintenance and genome stability. While TERRA's formation of R-loops at telomeric regions is well documented, its potential interactions with non-telomeric DNA remain less clear. Here, through bioinformatic reanalysis of publicly available datasets, we identify evidence that TERRA may also associate with non-telomeric genomic regions in trans via R-loop formation. These interactions are enriched at loci containing tandem telomeric repeat motifs, suggesting a sequence-dependent mode of binding. Integrative analysis further indicates that such distal TERRA-DNA associations could influence the expression of telomere maintenance-related genes, hinting at a p

SUBMITTER: Shehata SN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12720007 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature