circASbase: A Comprehensive Database of Alternative Splicing Events in circRNAs

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Genomics

Background:

• Alternative splicing generates diverse RNA isoforms, including circular RNAs (circRNAs).
• A lack of specialized databases hinders the study of circRNA alternative splicing events.
• Understanding circRNA splicing is crucial for their functional diversity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop circASbase, a comprehensive database for circRNA alternative splicing events.
• To provide rich annotations for studying circRNA splicing regulation.
• To facilitate research into the functional roles of circRNA alternative splicing.

Main Methods:

• Cataloging 452,129 alternative splicing events in 884,047 full-length circRNAs.
• Analyzing data from 581 samples across 13 species.
• Developing user-friendly interfaces and web-based visualization tools.

Main Results:

• Identified substantial differences in alternative splicing between circRNAs and linear transcripts.
• Demonstrated that circRNA splicing events affect IRES sites, m6A sites, ORFs, and miRNA targets.
• Showcased unique regulatory landscapes and functional impacts of circRNA splicing.

Conclusions:

• circASbase addresses the need for circRNA splicing data repositories.
• The database advances understanding of circRNA biology and regulatory mechanisms.
• circASbase is a valuable resource for exploring circRNA alternative splicing and function.