Biological functions and potential implications of circular RNAs

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) possess a distinct covalent closed-loop structure, lacking 5' cap and 3' polyadenylated tails.
• They exhibit diverse biological regulatory roles, including microRNA sponging, protein interaction, gene expression modulation, and translation into peptides/proteins.
• circRNAs show promise as disease biomarkers, potentially enhancing clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize recent advances in circRNA biogenesis and biological functions.
• To review relevant bioinformatics databases for circRNA research.
• To highlight circRNA roles in environmental exposure-induced diseases and their clinical implications.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent scientific publications.
• Analysis of circRNA biogenesis pathways and regulatory mechanisms.
• Examination of bioinformatics tools and databases for circRNA analysis.

Main Results:

• circRNAs are involved in various regulatory mechanisms and disease pathogenesis.
• Specific focus on circRNA functions in diseases triggered by environmental exposures.
• Identification of circRNAs as potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Conclusions:

• circRNAs are crucial molecules with significant roles in health and disease.
• Further research into circRNAs can lead to novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
• The clinical transformation of circRNAs holds promise for improved disease treatment.