The Potential of U6 and Its Copies in the Regulation of the Human Genome

Abstract

Non-coding RNAs are conformed by a large repertoire of RNA molecules with unimaginable tridimensional structures and functions. Small nuclear RNAs are an essential part of the spliceosome machinery, which is crucial for proper mRNA maturation. It is important to add that U6, one of the four snRNAs forming the spliceosome has been extensively studied. Full-length U6 (U6-1) loci are widely dispersed throughout the genome (200-900 copies), but a few U6 full-length loci have been identified to date as potentially active genes. The importance of U6 to carry out, together with other snRNAs, the catalytic activity and recognition of annealing target sequences, its evolution in the genome and the fact that the genome has many U6 copies and pseudogenes, its association with retrotransposition, as well as their implication in diseases is discussed in this review.