9月6日，国际著名杂志Cell在线发表了美国科学家的一篇Transcription of Two Long Noncoding RNAs Mediates Mating-Type Control of Gametogenesis in Budding Yeast的研究论文，研究发现长非编码RNA（ long noncoding RNAs ，lncRNAs）的转录介导芽殖酵母配子形成的接合型控制。
由亲本产生的有性生殖细胞(配子)，经过两性生殖细胞(例如精子和卵细胞)的结合，成为受精卵，再由受精卵发育成为新个体的生殖方式，叫做有性生殖。由此可见，配子形成对于有性生殖来说至关重要。
本研究发现，在芽殖酵母中，两个长非编码RNA（IRT1和ME4）介导孢子形成的接合型控制。单倍体中，配子形成中主要诱导子IRT1的表达被lncRNAs抑制。lncRNAs转录后通过招募 Set2 组氨酸甲基转移酶和Set3 组氨酸脱乙酰酶复合体进而形成抑制型染色质来抑制配子形成中IRT1的表达，从而不能产生配子。两倍体中长非编码RNA被抑制表达而可以形成配子，进而形成孢子。进一步研究发现，在二倍体中表达两个长非编码RNA，孢子不能形成。
因此，长非编码RNA的转录指导酵母孢子形成的结合型控制。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1016/j.cell.2012.06.049
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Transcription of Two Long Noncoding RNAs Mediates Mating-Type Control of Gametogenesis in Budding Yeast
Folkert J.van Werven，Gregor Neuert，Natalie Hendrick，Aurélie Lardenois，Stephen Buratowski，Alexander van Oudenaarden，Michael Primig，Angelika Amon
The cell-fate decision leading to gametogenesis is essential for sexual reproduction. In S. cerevisiae，only diploid MATa/α but not haploid MATa or MATα cells undergo gametogenesis，known as sporulation. We find that transcription of two long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) mediates mating-type control of sporulation. In MATa or MATα haploids， expression of IME1，the central inducer of gametogenesis，is inhibited in cis by transcription of the lncRNA IRT1，located in the IME1 promoter.IRT1 transcription recruits the Set2 histone methyltransferase and the Set3 histone deacetylase complex to establish repressive chromatin at the IME1 promoter. Inhibiting expression of IRT1 and an antisense transcript that antagonizes the expression of the meiotic regulator IME4 allows cells expressing the haploid mating type to sporulate with kinetics that are indistinguishable from that of MATa/α diploids. Conversely， expression of the two lncRNAs abolishes sporulation in MATa/α diploids. Thus， transcription of two lncRNAs governs mating-type control of gametogenesis in yeast.
