Circular RNAs roll into the regulatory network of plants

• Published in: Biochemical and biophysical research communications Vol. 488; no. 2; pp. 382 - 386
• Main Authors: Li, Quan-Feng, Zhang, Yu-Chan, Chen, Yue-Qin, Yu, Yang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 24.06.2017
• Subjects: circRNAs; Expression pattern; Function; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; Plant; Plants - genetics; Plants - metabolism; Protein coding potential; Regulatory network; RNA - metabolism; RNA, Plant - metabolism; circRNAs; Function; Plant; Expression pattern; Protein coding potential; Regulatory network
• ISSN: 0006-291X; 1090-2104
• DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2017.05.061

As a novel class of endogenous non-coding RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have become a new research hotspot in recent years. The wide distribution of circRNAs in different plant species has been proven. Furthermore, circRNAs show significant tissue-specific expression patterns in plant development and are responsive to a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses, indicating that circRNAs might have important biological functions in plant development. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of plant circRNAs in recent years and discuss views and perspectives on the possible regulatory roles of plant circRNAs, including the function of miRNA sponges, regulating the expression of their parental genes or linear mRNAs, translating into peptides or proteins and responses to different stresses. These advances have sculpted a framework of plant circRNAs and provide new insights for functional RNA regulation research in the future. •Summarizing the recent discovery of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in plant.•Discussing views and perspectives on the possible regulatory roles of plant circRNAs.•Showing the protein coding potential of plant circRNAs and responses to different stresses.•Discussing involvement of plant circRNAs in regulating the expression of their parental genes.