Long non-coding (lnc)RNAs have emerged as critical regulators of gene expression and are involved in almost every cellular process. They can bind to other molecules including DNA, proteins, or even other RNA types such messenger RNA or small RNAs. LncRNAs are typically expressed at much lower levels than mRNA, and their expression is often restricted to tissue- or time-specific developmental stages. They are also involved in several inter-species interactions, including vector-host-pathogen interactions, where they can be either vector/host-derived or encoded by pathogens. In these interactions, they function via multiple mechanisms including regulating pathogen growth and replication or via cell-autonomous antimicrobial defense mechanisms. Recent advances suggest that characterizing lncRNAs and their targets in different species may hold the key to understanding the role of this class of non-coding RNA in interspecies crosstalk. In this review, we present a general overview of recent studies related to lncRNA-related regulation of gene expression as well as their possible involvement in regulating vector-host-pathogen interactions.

Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia 37005 Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic

Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre Czech Academy of Sciences 37005 Ceske Budejovice Czech Republic

Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province Sichuan Agricultural University Wenjiang Chengdu 611130 China

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Editorial: Special Issue on the "Molecular Biology of Disease Vectors"

Bioinformatic Analysis of Ixodes ricinus Long Non-Coding RNAs Predicts Their Binding Ability of Host miRNAs