Cut from the same cloth: RNAs transcribed from regulatory elements

A certain degree of chromatin openness is necessary for the activity of transcription-regulating regions within the genome, facilitating accessibility to RNA polymerases and subsequent synthesis of regulatory element RNAs (regRNAs) from these regions. The rapidly increasing number of studies underscores the significance of regRNAs across diverse cellular processes and diseases, challenging the paradigm that these transcripts are non-functional transcriptional noise. This review explores the multifaceted roles of regRNAs in human cells, encompassing rather well-studied entities such as promoter RNAs and enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), while also providing insights into overshadowed silencer RNAs and insulator RNAs. Furthermore, we assess notable examples of shorter regRNAs, like miRNAs, snRNAs, and snoRNAs, playing important roles. Expanding our discourse, we deliberate on the potential usage of regRNAs as biomarkers and novel targets for cancer and other human diseases. [Display omitted] •Accessible chromatin necessary for active regulatory elements leads to RNA synthesis.•Transcripts from regulatory elements (regRNA) play key role in various cell processes.•Poorly known insulator and silencer RNAs act alongside enhancer and promoter RNAs.•Small regRNAs employ miRNA, snRNA and snoRNA mechanisms.•regRNAs inherent cell specificity suggests them as biomarkers and therapeutic targets.