Epitranscriptional Regulation: From the Perspectives of Cardiovascular Bioengineering

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Biomedical Engineering
• Genetics

Background:

• Gene expression involves DNA to RNA transcription and RNA to protein translation.
• RNA modifications, or epitranscriptional regulations, alter RNA function.
• These modifications are crucial in gene translation, DNA repair, and cell fate.

Purpose of the Study:

• Provide biomedical engineers an overview of epitranscriptomics.
• Discuss key concepts and recent findings in epitranscriptional regulation.
• Highlight tools for epitranscriptome analysis and its applications.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on epitranscriptional modifications.
• Analysis of RNA modification roles in cellular functions.
• Exploration of epitranscriptome analysis tools.

Main Results:

• Epitranscriptional modifications influence RNA stability, translation, and function.
• These modifications are critical in cardiovascular development, mechanosensing, and disease.
• Significant roles identified in DNA damage response and cell fate.

Conclusions:

• Epitranscriptional regulation is a key layer of gene expression control.
• Understanding epitranscriptomics is essential for cardiovascular research.
• Potential applications exist for biomedical engineering in diagnostics and therapeutics.