Best practice standards for circular RNA research.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are formed in all domains of life and via different mechanisms. There has been an explosion in the number of circRNA papers in recent years; however, as a relatively young field, circRNA biology has an urgent need for common experimental standards for isolating, analyzing, expressing and depleting circRNAs. Here we propose a set of guidelines for circRNA studies based on the authors' experience.

The splicing-regulatory lncRNA NTRAS sustains vascular integrity.

Vascular integrity is essential for organ homeostasis to prevent edema formation and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression and often expressed in a cell type-specific manner. By screening for endothelial-enriched lncRNAs, we identified the undescribed lncRNA NTRAS to control endothelial cell functions.

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus proliferation by designer antisense-circRNAs.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are noncoding RNAs that exist in all eukaryotes investigated and are derived from back-splicing of certain pre-mRNA exons. Here, we report the application of artificial circRNAs designed to act as antisense-RNAs. We systematically tested a series of antisense-circRNAs targeted to the SARS-CoV-2 genome RNA, in particular its structurally conserved 5'-untranslated region.

Molecular Determinants for RNA Release into Extracellular Vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important for intercellular communication and act as vehicles for biological material, such as various classes of coding and non-coding RNAs, a few of which were shown to selectively target into vesicles. However, protein factors, mechanisms, and sequence elements contributing to this specificity remain largely elusive. Here, we use a reporter system that results in different types of modified transcripts to decipher the specificity determinants of RNAs released into EVs.

Methods to study circRNA-protein interactions.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been studied extensively in the last few years, uncovering functional roles in a diverse range of cell types and organisms. As shown for a few cases, these functions may be mediated by trans-acting factors, in particular RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). However, the specific interaction partners for most circRNAs remain unknown.

Design and application of circular RNAs with protein-sponge function.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs, generated from pre-mRNAs by circular splicing of exons and functionally largely uncharacterized. Here we report on the design, expression, and characterization of artificial circRNAs that act as protein sponges, specifically binding and functionally inactivating hnRNP (heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein) L. HnRNP L regulates alternative splicing, depending on short CA-rich RNA elements.

Combinatorial recognition of clustered RNA elements by the multidomain RNA-binding protein IMP3.

How multidomain RNA-binding proteins recognize their specific target sequences, based on a combinatorial code, represents a fundamental unsolved question and has not been studied systematically so far. Here we focus on a prototypical multidomain RNA-binding protein, IMP3 (also called IGF2BP3), which contains six RNA-binding domains (RBDs): four KH and two RRM domains. We establish an integrative systematic strategy, combining single-domain-resolved SELEX-seq, motif-spacing analyses, in vivo iCLIP, functional validation assays, and structural biology.

Functional sequestration of microRNA-122 from Hepatitis C Virus by circular RNA sponges.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were recently described as a novel class of cellular RNAs. Two circRNAs were reported to function as molecular sponges, sequestering specific microRNAs, thereby de-repressing target mRNAs. Due to their elevated stability in comparison to linear RNA, circRNAs may be an interesting tool in molecular medicine and biology.

Selective release of circRNAs in platelet-derived extracellular vesicles.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of noncoding RNAs present in all eukaryotic cells investigated so far and generated by a special mode of alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs. Thereby, single exons, or multiple adjacent and spliced exons, are released in a circular form. CircRNAs are cell-type specifically expressed, are unusually stable, and can be found in various body fluids such as blood and saliva.

The lncRNA GATA6-AS epigenetically regulates endothelial gene expression via interaction with LOXL2.

Impaired or excessive growth of endothelial cells contributes to several diseases. However, the functional involvement of regulatory long non-coding RNAs in these processes is not well defined. Here, we show that the long non-coding antisense transcript of GATA6 (GATA6-AS) interacts with the epigenetic regulator LOXL2 to regulate endothelial gene expression via changes in histone methylation.

Northern Blot Analysis of Circular RNAs.

Northern blotting enables the specific detection and characterization of RNA molecules. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs) were described as a new class of cell type-specific noncoding RNAs. With the discovery of many novel circRNAs on the basis of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics, a solid biochemical approach is required to directly detect and validate specific circRNA species.

Circular RNAs: Coding or noncoding?

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) were only recently discovered as a new class of noncoding RNAs, functionally still largely uncharacterized. Three publications that appeared concurrently in Cell Research and Molecular Cell provide initial evidence for certain endogenous circRNAs coding for proteins.

Adenosine-to-inosine RNA editing controls cathepsin S expression in atherosclerosis by enabling HuR-mediated post-transcriptional regulation.

Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, which is catalyzed by a family of adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) enzymes, is important in the epitranscriptomic regulation of RNA metabolism. However, the role of A-to-I RNA editing in vascular disease is unknown. Here we show that cathepsin S mRNA (CTSS), which encodes a cysteine protease associated with angiogenesis and atherosclerosis, is highly edited in human endothelial cells.

CircRNA-protein complexes: IMP3 protein component defines subfamily of circRNPs.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) constitute a new class of noncoding RNAs in higher eukaryotes generated from pre-mRNAs by alternative splicing. Here we investigated in mammalian cells the association of circRNAs with proteins. Using glycerol gradient centrifugation, we characterized in cell lysates circRNA-protein complexes (circRNPs) of distinct sizes.

Eukaryotic non-coding RNAs: new targets for diagnostics and therapeutics?

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) in eukaryotes have recently developed to a very active research area in RNA biology, opening up new strategies for diagnosis and therapies of human disease. Here we introduce and describe the most important classes of eukaryotic ncRNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (IncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs). We further discuss new RNA-based diagnostic and therapeutic concepts.

The polyadenylation complex of Trypanosoma brucei: Characterization of the functional poly(A) polymerase.

The generation of mature mRNA in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei requires coupled polyadenylation and trans splicing. In contrast to other eukaryotes, we still know very little on components, mechanisms, and dynamics of the 3' end-processing machinery in trypanosomes. To characterize the catalytic core of the polyadenylation complex in T.

The Signature of the Five-Stranded vRRM Fold Defined by Functional, Structural and Computational Analysis of the hnRNP L Protein.

The RNA recognition motif (RRM) is the far most abundant RNA binding domain. In addition to the typical β1α1β2β3α2β4 fold, various sub-structural elements have been described and reportedly contribute to the high functional versatility of RRMs. The heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein L (hnRNP L) is a highly abundant protein of 64 kDa comprising four RRM domains.

RBM28, a protein deficient in ANE syndrome, regulates hair follicle growth via miR-203 and p63.

Alopecia-neurological defects-endocrinopathy (ANE) syndrome is a rare inherited hair disorder, which was shown to result from decreased expression of the RNA-binding motif protein 28 (RBM28). In this study, we attempted to delineate the role of RBM28 in hair biology. First, we sought to obtain evidence for the direct involvement of RBM28 in hair growth.

Exon circularization requires canonical splice signals.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), an abundant class of noncoding RNAs in higher eukaryotes, are generated from pre-mRNAs by circularization of adjacent exons. Using a set of 15 circRNAs, we demonstrated their cell-type-specific expression and circular versus linear processing in mammalian cells. Northern blot analysis combined with RNase H cleavage conclusively proved a circular configuration for two examples, LPAR1 and HIPK3.

ER stress: how trypanosomes deal with it.

An efficient response to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is essential for the viability of eukaryotic cells. The causative agent of African sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei, responds to such stress by inducing spliced leader RNA silencing (SLS), resulting in shutdown of mRNA biogenesis. A new study elucidates the activation cascade and its molecular components, which are unique to the ER stress response in trypanosomes.

RBM24 is a major regulator of muscle-specific alternative splicing.

Cell-type-specific splicing generates numerous alternatively spliced transcripts playing important roles for organ development and homeostasis, but only a few tissue-specific splicing factors have been identified. We found that RBM24 governs a large number of muscle-specific splicing events that are critically involved in cardiac and skeletal muscle development and disease. Targeted inactivation of RBM24 in mice disrupted cardiac development and impaired sarcomerogenesis in striated muscles.