Functional landscape of non-canonical open reading frames in coordinating cell fate (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

• sORF-seq screened hundreds of microproteins from non-canonical ORFs
• lncPRESS1 acts as both lncRNA and mRNA encoding a microprotein
• Microprotein regulates cell fate via SHH signaling and primary cilium

"This study characterizes hundreds of microproteins encoded by non-canonical open reading frames (ncORFs). The authors developed sORF-seq, a functional screen that identified hundreds of sORF-encoded microproteins regulating cellular differentiation. LncPRESS1 was discovered as a bifunctional RNA: in the nucleus it acts as a lncRNA guiding SWI/SNF; in the cytoplasm it is translated into a microprotein that directs lineage commitment via Sonic hedgehog signaling. The findings expand understanding of the functional genome beyond traditional coding genes."