The regulatory roles of small nucleolar RNAs within their host locus.

Small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) are a class of conserved noncoding RNAs forming complexes with proteins to catalyse site-specific modifications on ribosomal RNA. Besides this canonical role, several snoRNAs are now known to regulate diverse levels of gene expression. While these functions are carried out in by mature snoRNAs, evidence has also been emerging of regulatory roles of snoRNAs in , either within their genomic locus or as longer transcription intermediates during their maturation.

Proteomic analyses reveal new features of the box H/ACA RNP biogenesis.

The conserved H/ACA RNPs consist of one H/ACA RNA and 4 core proteins: dyskerin, NHP2, NOP10, and GAR1. Its assembly requires several assembly factors. A pre-particle containing the nascent RNAs, dyskerin, NOP10, NHP2 and NAF1 is assembled co-transcriptionally.

Emerging role of IκBζ in inflammation: Emphasis on psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder affecting skin and joints that results from immunological dysfunction such as enhanced IL-23 induced Th-17 differentiation. IkappaB-Zeta (IκBζ) is an atypical transcriptional factor of the IκB protein family since, contrary to the other family members, it positively regulates NF-κB pathway by being exclusively localized into the nucleus. IκBζ deficiency reduces visible manifestations of experimental psoriasis by diminishing expression of psoriasis-associated genes.

Phylogenetic and Molecular Analyses Identify SNORD116 Targets Involved in the Prader-Willi Syndrome.

The eutherian-specific SNORD116 family of repeated box C/D snoRNA genes is suspected to play a major role in the Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), yet its molecular function remains poorly understood. Here, we combined phylogenetic and molecular analyses to identify candidate RNA targets. Based on the analysis of several eutherian orthologs, we found evidence of extensive birth-and-death and conversion events during SNORD116 gene history.

Emerging Data on the Diversity of Molecular Mechanisms Involving C/D snoRNAs.

Box C/D small nucleolar RNAs (C/D snoRNAs) represent an ancient family of small non-coding RNAs that are classically viewed as housekeeping guides for the 2'-O-methylation of ribosomal RNA in Archaea and Eukaryotes. However, an extensive set of studies now argues that they are involved in mechanisms that go well beyond this function. Here, we present these pieces of evidence in light of the current comprehension of the molecular mechanisms that control C/D snoRNA expression and function.