RESEARCH ARTICLE LncRNA Jpx induces Xist expression in mice using both trans and cis mechanisms Sarah Carmona, Benjamin Lin, Tristan Chou, Katti Arroyo, Sha Sun* Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, Ayala School of Biological Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States of America *
[email protected] a1111111111 a1111111111 Abstract a1111111111 a1111111111 Mammalian X chromosome dosage compensation balances X-linked gene products a1111111111 between sexes and is coordinated by the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) Xist. Multiple cis and trans-acting factors modulate Xist expression; however, the primary competence factor responsible for activating Xist remains a subject of dispute. The lncRNA Jpx is a proposed competence factor, yet it remains unknown if Jpx is sufficient to activate Xist expression in OPEN ACCESS mice. Here, we utilize a novel transgenic mouse system to demonstrate a dose-dependent relationship between Jpx copy number and ensuing Jpx and Xist expression. By localizing Citation: Carmona S, Lin B, Chou T, Arroyo K, Sun S (2018) LncRNA Jpx induces Xist expression in transcripts of Jpx and Xist using RNA Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) in mouse mice using both trans and cis mechanisms. PLoS embryonic cells, we provide evidence of Jpx acting in both trans and cis to activate Xist. Our Genet 14(5): e1007378. https://doi.org/10.1371/ data contribute functional and mechanistic insight for lncRNA activity in mice, and argue that journal.pgen.1007378 Jpx is a competence factor for Xist activation in vivo. Editor: Gregory S. Barsh, Stanford University School of Medicine, UNITED STATES Received: November 20, 2017 Accepted: April 24, 2018 Author summary Published: May 7, 2018 Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) have been identified in all eukaryotes but mechanisms Copyright: © 2018 Carmona et al.