2026年9月10日，美国哥伦比亚大学Philippe J. Batut等科学家在《科学》（Science）发表研究，揭示了非编码转录对长距离基因调控发育动态的控制作用。

调控基因表达的基因组区域本身常常被转录成多种非编码RNA（ncRNA）。然而，这种非编码转录的调控作用在很大程度上仍不清楚。通过使用活体成像，研究人员揭示，源自不同调控元件的ncRNA依次转录是果蝇胚胎中基因激活的基础。单等位基因共可视化发现，最佳的基因激活仅通过中等水平的增强子活性即可实现。破坏增强子相关的ncRNA会导致基因过早激活，这提供了ncRNA控制发育中基因表达时序的证据。研究人员进一步表明，增强子转录可以调控复杂调控景观内的长距离相互作用。他们提出，ncRNA在顺式水平上局部调节调控元件活性，以塑造基因组组织并协调发育中基因表达的时间控制。

附：英文原文

Title: Noncoding transcription controls the developmental dynamics of long-range gene regulation

Author: Philippe J. Batut, Michael S. Levine

Issue&Volume: 2026-09-10

Abstract: The genomic regions regulating gene expression are often themselves transcribed into a variety of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). However, the regulatory roles of this noncoding transcription remain largely unknown. By using live imaging, we reveal that the sequential transcription of ncRNAs emanating from distinct regulatory elements underlies gene activation in Drosophila embryos. Single-allele co-visualization uncovers that optimal gene activation is achieved by only moderate levels of enhancer activity. Disrupting enhancer-associated ncRNAs causes precocious gene activation, providing evidence that ncRNAs control the timing of gene expression in development. We further show that enhancer transcription can regulate long-range interactions within complex regulatory landscapes. We propose that ncRNAs locally modulate regulatory element activity in cis to shape genome organization and orchestrate the temporal control of gene expression in development.

DOI: 10.1126/science.aek5696

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aek5696