From cells to systems – Deciphering RNA regulation in stem cells and cancer
Although the DNA contains the code for gene expression, RNA processing tunes the output because newly transcribed RNAs are not functional but need to undergo tightly regulated processing steps such as pre-mRNA splicing and polyadenylation. RNA processing provides a critical regulatory point and aberrations in the RNA processing machinery result in genetic disorders and are linked to cancer. The molecular mechanisms that bring about specific cellular RNA repertoires and drastic RNA aberrations in disease are not well understood. Thus, understanding the cellular relevance of RNA processing remains a major challenge in the field. It is clear that RNA binding proteins (RBPs) play a critical role in defining cellular RNA repertoires by delicately controlling the life of all coding and noncoding RNAs.