Circling the PINK away: suppression of autophagy by a novel ncRNA-mediated mechanism

Pervasive transcription of the human genome is responsible for the generation of thousands of non-coding RNA molecules (ncRNAs) with regulatory function. These ncRNAs can be generated either by the transcription of specific genomic loci or by the processing of already synthesized RNAs. The regulatory roles of these molecular species have special importance in non-proliferative organs such as the heart, where a delicate balance of molecular interactions is needed to ensure its biogenesis and function.