Elucidation of circRNA transport pathway

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K05563
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38060:Applied molecular and cellular biology-related
• Research Institution: Setsunan University (2020-2021); Fujita Health University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: Yoshimoto Rei 摂南大学, 農学部, 講師 (70595652)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: RNA

Outline of Final Research Achievements

ASO inhibition experiments using human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells expressing ciRS-7 have revealed the presence of a complementary sequence in the ciRS-7 intron that is required for cyclization. Bioinformatics analysis and reporter experiments revealed that a repeat sequence called MIR (Mammalian Interspersed Repeats) (SINE) is required for circularization. Furthermore, we discovered many circRNAs produced in an MIR-dependent manner by analyzing RNA-Seq data, and established that MIR-dependent circularization that is highly conserved from mouse to human.

Free Research Field

応用分子細胞生物学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

circRNAのほとんどは細胞質に局在し、主な機能としては①マイクロRNA(miRNA)を吸着することによりmiRNAの転写後発現調節を制御するもの、②RNA結合タンパク質(RBP)の機能を制御するもの、そして③mRNA由来の翻訳枠(ORF)を持ち翻訳を受けるものが存在する(図1)。したがってcircRNAはマイクロRNA(miRNA)や長鎖ノンコーディングRNA(lncRNA)に並ぶ新たな機能性RNA群であり、circRNAの機能解明は、重要な疾患の治療に貢献できる。