Coding potential of circRNAs: new discoveries and challenges

PeerJ

article

Qingqing Miao¹  Bing Ni³  Jun Tang¹ 

[1] Dermatology Department of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China;Department of Dermatology, the 901th Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA Affiliated to Anhui Medical University;Department of Pathophysiology, Third Military Medical University

关键词: ncRNAs;    circRNAs;    Translation;    mRNA;    miRNA;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.10718

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

The circular (circ)RNAs are a newly recognized group of noncoding (nc)RNAs. Research to characterize the functional features of circRNAs has uncovered distinctive profiles of conservation, stability, specificity and complexity. However, a new line of evidence has indicated that although circRNAs can function as ncRNAs, such as in the role of miRNA sponges, they are also capable of coding proteins. This discovery is no accident. In the last century, scientist detected the ability of translate in some virus and artificial circRNAs. Artificial circRNA translation products are usually nonfunctional, whereas natural circRNA translation products are completely different. Those new proteins have various functions, which greatly broadens the new ideas and research direction for our research. These series findings also raise questions about whether circRNA is still classified as non-coding RNA. Here, we summarize the evidence concerning translation potential of circRNAs, including synthetic and endogenous circRNA translation ability, and discuss the mechanisms of circRNA translation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY