Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Huang, S.
• Yang, B.
• Chen, B.J.
• Bliim, N.
• Ueberham, U.
• Arendt, T.
• Janitz, M.

Titel

The emerging role of circular RNAs in transcriptome regulation

Ist Teil von

• Genomics (San Diego, Calif.), 2017-10, Vol.109 (5-6), p.401-407

Ort / Verlag

United States: Elsevier Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2017

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recently discovered form of RNA that has been found to regulate mammalian transcription. CircRNAs are covalently closed, single-stranded transcripts produced from precursor mRNA. While initially circRNAs were considered to be splicing artefacts, next-generation RNA sequencing of non-polyadenylated transcriptomes has recently shown that the expression of circRNAs is widespread and over 20% of expressed genes in examined cells and tissues can produce these transcripts. Until now thousands of circRNAs have been discovered in organisms ranging from Drosophila melanogaster to Homo sapiens. Functional studies indicate that these transcripts regulate expression of protein-coding linear transcripts and thus comprise an important component of gene expression regulation. Here we provide a comprehensive overview on the biology of circRNAs, including the expression patterns and function. Moreover, we discuss current methodologies for the discovery and validation of circular transcripts. Finally, perspectives on the utilization of circRNA as molecular markers of complex diseases are presented. •CircRNAs are covalently closed transcripts resulting from backsplicing of pre-mRNA.•Circular structure provides resistance to exoribonucleases and high stability of circRNAs.•CircRNAs regulate expression of protein-coding linear transcripts.•CircRNAs may serve as molecular markers of complex diseases.