Question

Which of the following statements is most true regarding long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)?

A) lncRNAs do not contain a 5' guanine cap or a 3' poly-A-tail.
B) Some lncRNAs will decrease the activity of miRNAs.
C) Some lncRNAs regulate alternative splicing.
D) lncRNAs are characteristically about the same size as sncRNAs.
E) lncRNAs act only as posttranscriptional regulators and never as pretranscription regulators.

Answer 1

The most accurate statement about long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is that some lncRNAs regulate alternative splicing. LncRNAs are involved in various regulatory functions, including gene expression and the alternative splicing process.

Step-by-step explanation:

Among the statements provided regarding long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), the most true is that some lncRNAs regulate alternative splicing. LncRNAs are a diverse class of eukaryotic RNAs that can be involved in various regulatory functions, including gene expression. For example, they can affect the activity of miRNAs, contributing to changes in gene expression by influencing mRNA stability. LncRNAs can also partake in the process of alternative splicing, wherein they can regulate the assembly of spliceosomes and the selection of splice sites, thereby influencing the variety of protein products generated from a single gene.

It is also worth mentioning that lncRNAs include transcripts from different genetic elements like antisense, intronic, intergenic, pseudogene, and retroposon DNA. Additionally, contrary to a common misconception, many lncRNAs do contain a 5' guanine cap and a 3' poly-A-tail, similar to messenger RNAs (mRNAs).