RNAs of the human chromosome 15q11-q13 imprinted region

Abstract

The human chromosome 15q11-q13 region hosts a wide variety of coding and noncoding RNAs, and is also the site of nearly every imaginable type of RNA processing. To deepen the intrigue, the transcripts in the human chromosome 15q11-q13 region are subject to regulation by genomic imprinting, and some of these transcripts are imprinted in a tissue-specific manner. As the region is critically important for three human neurogenetic disorders, Angelman syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, and 15q duplication syndrome, there is intense interest in understanding the types of RNA and RNA processing that occurs among the imprinted genes. This review summarizes what is known about the various RNAs within the imprinted domain, including a novel type of RNA that was only very recently identified.

Figure 1. Maps of the human chromosome 15q11-q13 region and the mouse syntenic region on chromosome 7C

A.) Map of the mouse chromosome 7C region indicating gene expression patterns in non-neurons (top) and neurons (bottom). B.) Map of the human chromosome 15q11-q13 imprinted region indicating gene expression patterns in non-neurons (top) and neurons (bottom). Blue rectangles represent imprinted transcripts that are paternally expressed, red rectangles represent imprinted transcripts that are maternally expressed, black rectangles represent the repressed alleles of imprinted genes, and grey rectangles represent transcripts that are not imprinted. Maps are not to scale and not intended to be all-inclusive.