Circular RNAs exhibit extensive intraspecific variation in maize

Area of Science:

• Plant molecular biology
• Genomics
• Transcriptomics

Background:

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed transcripts implicated in phenotypic variation across species.
• Intraspecific variation of circRNAs in maize (Zea mays L.) remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the intraspecific variation of circRNAs in maize.
• To explore the association between circRNA variation and genomic/phenotypic differences in maize inbred lines.

Main Methods:

• Collected transcriptomic data (circRNA-seq and mRNA-seq) from maize inbred lines B73 and Mo17.
• Identified circRNAs using CIRCexplorer2 and CIRI.
• Performed Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses.
• Utilized ribosomal profiling to assess translational capacity.

Main Results:

• Over 1500 circRNAs were identified in maize seedling leaves.
• A substantial proportion of circRNAs exhibited sequence or expression level variation between lines.
• Genes producing variable circRNAs were enriched in diverse functional groups.
• Several circRNAs demonstrated potential translational capacity.

Conclusions:

• Extensive intraspecific variation of circRNAs exists in maize.
• circRNAs can serve as indicators of genomic and phenotypic variation among maize inbred lines.
• This research provides a foundation for understanding circRNA-mediated molecular mechanisms in maize phenotypic variation.