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Although non-coding RNAs have roles in transcription and chromatin function, nascent pre-mRNA is usually considered to be passive during these processes. Recently identified interactions between nascent pre-mRNAs and regulatory proteins suggest that both types of RNA regulate transcription and chromatin function.
In animal cells, actin is dynamically distributed between multiple coexisting arrays. Carlier and Shekhar propose that a global treadmilling process — whereby the various actin networks grow and shrink depending on the local activity of actin regulators — establishes a steady-state concentration of actin monomers that supports this homeostatic actin turnover.
The chemical modifications and structural features of mRNAs are highly dynamic. Together, they regulate the composition and function of the transcriptome by shaping RNA–protein interactions at different stages of the gene expression process.
