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Review
. 2021 Jun 4:25:355-371.
doi: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.05.022. eCollection 2021 Sep 3.

Recent research progress on circular RNAs: Biogenesis, properties, functions, and therapeutic potential

Ashish Ranjan Sharma  1 , Manojit Bhattacharya  2 , Swarnav Bhakta  3 , Abinit Saha  3 , Sang-Soo Lee  1 , Chiranjib Chakraborty  3
Affiliations
Review

Recent research progress on circular RNAs: Biogenesis, properties, functions, and therapeutic potential

Ashish Ranjan Sharma et al. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids. .

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), an emerging family member of RNAs, have gained importance in research due to their new functional roles in cellular physiology and disease progression. circRNAs are usually available in a wide range of cells and have shown tissue-specific expression as well as developmental specific expression. circRNAs are characterized by structural stability, conservation, and high abundance in the cell. In this review, we discuss the different models of biogenesis. The properties of circRNAs such as localization, structure and conserved pattern, stability, and expression specificity are also been illustrated. Furthermore, we discuss the biological functions of circRNAs such as microRNA (miRNA) sponging, cell cycle regulation, cell-to-cell communication, transcription regulation, translational regulation, disease diagnosis, and therapeutic potential. Finally, we discuss the recent research progress and future perspective of circRNAs. This review provides an understanding of potential diagnostic markers and the therapeutic potential of circRNAs, which are emerging daily.

Keywords: biogenesis; circular RNAs; properties; therapeutic potential.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

None
Graphical abstract
Figure 1
Figure 1
Recent research progress as shown by a circular RNA PubMed search was performed using the term “circular RNA” (2016–2020)
Figure 2
Figure 2
Milestone discoveries in circular RNA research
Figure 3
Figure 3
Different proposed biogenesis mechanisms of circular RNA (A) Spliceosome-dependent biogenesis of circular RNA. (B) Circular RNA biogenesis occurs through direct backsplicing from pre-mRNA. (C) Circular RNA biogenesis occurs by using RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). (D) Exon-intron circRNA (EIciRNA) biogenesis produced by backsplicing. EIciRNAs contain both exons and introns. (E) Circular intronic RNA (ciRNA) biogenesis process. This ciRNA was derived from lariat introns during canonical splicing.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Different types of circular RNA regarding the biogenesis model
Figure 5
Figure 5
Export mechanism of the circular RNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm The export mechanism has occurred through the length-dependent mode.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Different circular RNAs associated with different diseases
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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