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Review
. 2017 Dec 2;14(12):1715-1721.
doi: 10.1080/15476286.2017.1367886. Epub 2017 Sep 21.

Circular RNAs: Isolation, characterization and their potential role in diseases

Lumei Liu  1   2 , Jian Wang  3 , Ramin Khanabdali  4 , Bill Kalionis  4 , Xiantao Tai  5 , Shijin Xia  1
Affiliations
Review

Circular RNAs: Isolation, characterization and their potential role in diseases

Lumei Liu et al. RNA Biol. .

Abstract

Circular RNA (circRNA) generated by alternative splicing represents a special class of non-coding RNA molecule. CircRNAs are abundant in the eukaryotic cell cytoplasm and have a characteristic organization, timing of action and disease specificity. In contrast to linear RNA, circRNAs are resistant to RNA exonuclease. Consequently, circRNA escapes normal RNA turnover and this improves circRNA stability. CircRNAs can be degraded by microRNA (miRNA) and this results in linearization of the circRNA, which can then act as competitor to endogenous RNA. Through interactions with disease-related miRNA, circRNA can play an important regulatory role in specific diseases. Furthermore, circRNAs have significant potential to become new clinical diagnostic markers.

Keywords: Alternative splicing; Circular RNA; competing endogenous RNA; miRNA sponge; microRNA; non-coding RNA.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Formation of circRNAs. (a) Exon-skipping leads to a lariat, which undergoes internal splicing to form a circRNA. (b) Complementary base pairing is required, which brings non-sequential donor-acceptor pairs into opposition, allowing circularization to occur. (c) Circular intronic RNA (ciRNA) represents another type of circular RNA molecule derived from intron circularization. (d) Exons of EIciRNA are circularized with introns ‘retained’ between exons.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
The main function of circRNA. (a) CircRNA acts as miRNA sponge. (b) CircRNA binds with proteins. (c) circRNA interacts with RNA.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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