KCNQ1OT1

KCNQ1 overlapping transcript 1, also known as KCNQ1OT1, is a is_associated_with::long non-coding RNA is_associated_with::gene found in the KCNQ1 locus. This locus consists of 8-10 protein-coding genes, specifically expressed from the maternal allele (including the is_associated_with::KCNQ1 gene), and the paternally expressed non-coding RNA gene KCNQ1OT1. KCNQ1OT1 is a nuclear, 91 kb transcript, found in close proximity to the is_associated_with::nucleolus in certain cell types.

It interacts with is_associated_with::chromatin, the is_associated_with::histone methyltransferase G9a (responsible for the mono- and dimethylation of histone 3 lysine 9, H3K9), and the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2, is_associated_with::PRC2, (responsible for the trimethylation of H3K27). It plays an important role in the is_associated_with::transcriptional silencing of the KCNQ1 locus by regulating histone methylation. An 890 bp region at the 5' end of KCNQ1OT1 acts as a silencing domain. This region regulates CpG methylation levels of somatically acquired differentially methylated regions (DMRs), mediates the interaction of KCNQ1OT1 with chromatin and with DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1 (is_associated_with::DNMT1), but does not affect the interactions of histone methyltransferases with KCNQ1OT1.