Characteristics of circular ribonucleic acid molecules (circRNA)

Abstract

Ribonucleic acids appear in many forms, including circular (circRNA). It is much more widespread than originally thought. For HDV, viroids & viroid-like satellite RNAs circular RNAs act as genomes. It has also been observed in connection with the maturation of archaeal pre-rRNAs & pre-tRNAs â as an end product or transitional stage. In Archaea there are also circular forms of several snoRNAs and other RNAs known for their regulatory functions. Many circRNAs might appear in the course of maturation of pre-mRNAs containing spliceosomal, group I or group II introns. Observed molecules consist of exclusively introntic or exonic sequences. Particles containing both at once were detected too. Intronic circRNAs may take part in their maternal genetic elementsâ mobility. Exonic circRNAs are often tissue-specific or characteristic for a particular stage of the organism development. Some can modulate miRNA activity. Exonic circRNAs may be associated with several neurodegenerative diseases. Circular RNAs might prove useful in therapeutics and diagnostics.