roX1 and roX2 lncRNAs promote heterochromatinization in intestinal stem cells and impair longevity.

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs), roX1 and roX2, are only known to be important in the male X chromosome dosage complex to double the expression levels of the genes on the X chromosome in Drosophila males. However, their functions in Drosophila females have never been explored.

This study demonstrates the surprising role of roX1 and roX2 in acquiring heterochromatin in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) and progenitor enteroblasts (EBs) of Drosophila females under pathogen infection or aging. Increased heterochromatin formation in ISCs/EBs is associated with decreased active epigenetic modifications and global gene repression.