Preprint/Heritable RNA

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Authors

Xudong Zhang, Dongmei Tan , Enkui Duan , Tong Zhou , Qi Chen

About the Authors

Xudong Zhang AFFILIATION: School of Medicine, University of California Riverside , 900 University Ave, Riverside, California, USA 0000-0002-5964-0067 Dongmei Tan AFFILIATION: Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside , 900 University Ave, Riverside, California, USA Enkui Duan AFFILIATION: Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Science, Chinese Academy of Science , 1 Beichen West Road, Beijing, China Tong Zhou AFFILIATION: Physiology and Cell Biology, School of Medicine, University of Nevada Reno , 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV, USA Qi Chen AFFILIATION: Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside , 900 University Ave, Riverside, California, USA 0000-0001-6353-9589

Abstract

DNA is known as the main carrier of genetic information transferring inheritable traits between generations. In addition to the DNA-sequence-based hereditary vector, a highly complex network of non-coding RNAs, along with their RNA modifications were recently found in the germ cells, providing another layer of control for a range of heritable phenotypes in multiple organisms. To induce a heritable phenotype, RNA needs to replicate itself and to induce other types of epigenetic modifications that can change gene expression in the progeny, which may be maintained in further generations, with or without the presence of initial RNA. RNAs can shuttle between somatic and germ cells, where their ‘RNA signatures’ can be modified by environmental inputs, enabling the intergenerational or transgenerational transmission of certain environmentally obtained traits. Here, we summarize and discuss recent evidence of RNA-mediated epigenetic inheritance in a range of model systems.<nowiki>Insert non-formatted text here</nowiki>

The phenomena of RNA-mediated inheritance 

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Inheritance of modified gene expression and phenotypes across generations 

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