Liu et al show that a GATA2-associated antisense RNA (GATA2AS) positively regulates GATA2 mRNA and interacts with transcription factors LRF and KLF1 at regulatory DNA elements in promoters of erythroid-specific genes. Depletion of GATA2AS in erythroid progenitor cells causes a reduction of proliferation, an upregulation of erythroid marker genes, and a decrease in fetal hemoglobin.