Spatiotemporal Network of RNA Information Flow

RNA作为参与基因表达和细胞调控的各种调节和催化分子，在生命中起着至关重要的作用。在这里，我们的目标是通过关注RNA-蛋白质复合体、基因表达调控RNA、RNA运输以及参与疾病、细胞分化和再生的RNA来揭示RNA信息流在原子、分子、细胞和多细胞水平上的时空网络。在这一项目期间，我们取得了许多高质量的科学成就和发现，这对理解RNA在生活中的基础作用以及为RNA的治疗或医学应用开辟新的途径具有重要的影响和意义。RNA不再站在DNA或蛋白质的后面，而是站在DNA和蛋白质的前面。此外，完成的人类基因组计划揭示了，令我们非常惊讶的是，存在大量的蛋白质非编码RNA(NcRNAs)。这些…可以分为两种类型：一种ncRNA此外，像反义和microRNA一样，它们的功能与靶mRNA或DNA具有序列互补性，而另一种像适体，它们的功能不依赖于序列互补。其中大量的ncRNA在功能上尚不清楚，对于理解高等生物(如人类)的基本调控系统来说，这无疑是一个巨大的挑战。当然，在后基因组时代，理解RNA信息流变得越来越重要。在这个项目中实现的不同功能RNA的时空联网应该会极大地促进后基因组研究以及结构生物学，同时扩大我们对RNA如何深入和普遍地构成生命的知识。最后，我们高兴地注意到，我们组织了国际会议(2003年在京都，2006年在伊豆)，并出版了两年一次的通讯，这两次会议都非常成功，不仅受到社区研究人员的高度赞赏，而且受到社区外许多人的高度赞赏。较少

RNA plays a fundamental key role in life as a variety of regulatory and catalytic molecules involved in gene expression and cellular regulation. Here, we aimed to uncover the spatiotemporal network of RNA information flow at atomic, molecular, cellular and multicellular levels by focusing on RNA-protein complexes, regulatory RNAs for gene expression, RNA transport as well as RNAs involved in disease, cellular differentiation and regeneration. During this project period, we have made numerous top-quality scientific achievements and discoveries, which are of great impact and importance to understand the fundamental role of RNA in life as well as to create new avenues to therapeutic or medical applications of RNA. RNA no longer stands behind DNA or protein but stands in front of DNA and protein. Moreover, the completed human genome project revealed, to our great surprise, the existence of a large amount of protein-noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs). These ncRNAs can be classified into two types: one … More , like antisense and microRNA, those function with the sequence complementarity to the target mRNA or DNA, while the other, like aptamer, those function independent of the sequence complementarity. A large body of these ncRNAs is yet functionally unknown, and definitely a big challenge in coming age for understanding the fundamental regulatory system of higher organisms, such as human. Certainly, understanding of RNA information flow has increasing importance in the post-genome era. The spatiotemporal networking of diverse functional RNAs achieved in this project should greatly facilitate post-genome research as well as structural biology, while expanding our knowledge of how deeply and universally RNA constitutes life. Lastly, we are pleased to note that we have organized the international meetings (2003 in Kyoto and 2006 in Izu) and the publication of biannual newsletters, both of which were very successful and highly appreciated not only by the community researchers but also by many people outside of the community. Less