Lnc-31 acts as a molecular scaffold to control the Rock1 mRNA translation

Cytoplasmic long non coding RNAs have been shown to act at many different levels to control post-transcriptional gene expression; though their role in translational control is still poorly understood. Here we show that lnc-31 is a translational activator of Rock1, a negative regulator of myogenesis which prevents the exit of myoblasts from the cell cycle. This activity well correlates with the described role of lnc-31 in supporting myoblast proliferation. We show that lnc-31 binds the translational regulator YB-1 and targets the Rock1 mRNA by direct base pair interaction. We present evidences that lnc-31 stabilizes YB-1 on the Rock1 mRNA; this effect would in turn allow the YB-1-dependent remodelling of the Rock1 5’UTR and the promotion of its translation. High-throughput sequencing of total RNA from proliferating C2C12 cells treated with si-scr and si-lnc31. High-throughput sequencing of total RNA from lnc-31 pull down experiments performed using specific and aspecific (lacZ) biotinylated antisense probes.