Unveiling lncRNAs: Catalysts of Genomic Variability, Disease and Viral Infection

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a rapidly evolving field within human genomics, reshaping our understanding of gene regulation, genomic diversity, and host-pathogen dynamics. Once regarded as transcriptional noise, lncRNAs have emerged as crucial elements in modulating gene expression at epigenetic, transcriptional, and post-transcriptional levels. Despite advances in RNA sequencing and computational modeling, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of most lncRNAs remain largely uncharacterized. Current research highlights their potential involvement in complex traits, epigenetic modifications, disease susceptibility, and the regulation of viral replication and host immune responses, emphasizing the need for deeper integrative studies combining genomic, transcriptomic, and clinical data. While recent findings suggest that lncRNAs contribute to phenotypic variability, disease progression, and viral pathogenesis, significant knowledge gaps persist in understanding the pathways through which they act and their potential as biomarkers or therapeutic targets.Unlike protein-coding mRNAs and many small non-coding RNAs, lncRNAs pose major characterization challenges because they are often expressed at low levels, exhibit poor sequence conservation across species, and display strong cell type- and context-specific expression. In addition, their diverse mechanisms of action and lack of well-defined functional domains complicate experimental validation and therapeutic targeting.This Research Topic aims to elucidate the impact of long noncoding RNAs on inter-individual genomic variability, host-pathogen interactions, and their mechanistic roles in human diseases and viral infections. It seeks to explore how lncRNAs regulate gene expression, influence cellular pathways, and contribute to disease and viral phenotypes. By leveraging advanced genomic tools such as strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-seq) and computational models, including machine learning approaches, this Research Topic will encourage studies that characterize the molecular functions of lncRNAs, identify their disease and viral associations, and explore their translational potential in clinical contexts.To gather further insights into the molecular complexity of lncRNA-mediated regulation, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:o Functional characterization of lncRNAs in gene expression regulationo Role of lncRNAs in genomic variability and human evolutiono Mechanistic roles of lncRNAs in viral pathogenesis, replication, and host antiviral defenseso Integration of ssRNA-seq and multi-omics data to map lncRNA functionso Machine learning approaches for functional prediction of lncRNAso Involvement of lncRNAs in disease pathways, infectious processes, and therapeutic potentialo Biomarker discovery and clinical translation of lncRNA researcho Evolutionary conservation and divergence of lncRNA functions Topic editors: Abhishek Kumar Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85051/unveiling-lncrnas-catalysts-of-genomic-variability-disease-and-viral-infection