EQTN MOB3B IFNK C9orf72 enhancer RNA I (EMICERI)

EQTN MOB3B IFNK C9orf72 enhancer RNA I (EMICERI, TCONS_00015940) is a long non-coding RNA locus located near the boundary of a topological domain on chromosome 9. The EMICERI promoter produces two divergent transcripts: EMICERI and the protein-coding gene MOB3B. Functional screens show that activating the EMICERI locus leads to strong dosage-dependent upregulation of the nearby genes MOB3B, EQTN, IFNK, and C9orf72, indicating its role as a local enhancer RNA[1][3]. EMICERI is implicated in regulating gene expression relevant to drug resistance in cancer, notably in melanoma resistance to BRAF inhibitors such as vemurafenib[5]. Targeting EMICERI, either with activation or repression approaches (e.g., CRISPR/dCas9-based transcriptional effectors), provides a mechanism to modulate resistance or sensitivity to anticancer therapies[5].

Other names

EMICERITCONS_00015940

Drugs targeting this molecule (or its locus) act by modifying transcriptional activation/repression, such as via CRISPR/dCas9 effectors altering EMICERI activity or by inhibiting EMICERI transcription to overcome drug resistance.