This document discusses non-coding RNA and its important regulatory roles. It notes that while RNA was originally thought to only act as a messenger between DNA and protein, recent evidence shows extensive transcription of non-coding sequences and diverse biological functions of non-coding RNA beyond information transfer. Different types of non-coding RNA are involved in fundamental cellular processes as well as higher-level regulatory functions. Studies have found thousands of non-coding transcripts expressed in complex organisms, and non-coding RNA is emerging as a key player in gene regulation.