Long noncoding RNAs in DNA methylation: new players stepping into the old game

Long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs) are being discovered as a novel family of regulators of gene expression at the epigenetic level. Emerging lines of evidence demonstrate that interplays between IncRNAs and DNA methylation machinery are an important layer of epigenetic regulation. Here in this mini-review we summarize the current findings in the field and focus particularly on the interactions mediated through direct physical association between IncRNAs and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs).