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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
08:25
Identification of Circular RNAs using RNA Sequencing
Published on: November 14, 2019
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An Overview of Circular RNAs
Julia Mester-Tonczar1, Ena Hasimbegovic2
1Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Cardiology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. julia.mester-tonczar@meduniwien.ac.at.
Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|August 31, 2025
Summary
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable, non-linearly spliced RNAs with crucial biological roles. Research highlights their functions, but challenges remain in identification and understanding their mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed RNA molecules distinct from linear RNAs.
- They possess unique backsplice junctions (BSJ) and lack 5' cap and 3' poly(A) tails, conferring high stability.
- circRNAs are evolutionarily conserved and exhibit cell-type/tissue-specific expression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize the discovery and early research of circRNAs.
- To outline the significance of RNA sequencing in circRNA studies.
- To highlight recent findings on circRNA functions and discuss research challenges.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on circRNA discovery and research.
- Emphasis on RNA sequencing technologies for circRNA identification.
- Analysis of reported biological functions and mechanisms of circRNAs.
Main Results:
- circRNAs function as miRNA sponges and regulators of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs).
- RNA sequencing has been pivotal in advancing circRNA research.
- Significant progress has been made in understanding circRNA functions.
Conclusions:
- circRNAs are important biomolecules with diverse biological roles.
- Challenges persist in circRNA identification, nomenclature, and understanding mechanisms.
- Further research is needed to overcome methodological limitations and fully elucidate circRNA functions.
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