Research Progress in the translation ability of circular RNAs

With the development of the next-generation sequencing technology, circular RNAs(circRNAs) are again receiving attention. Circular RNAs have a circular structure that without 5' and a 3' ending. This special structural characteristics and unique formation mechanism (backsplicing) has been known well, but few studies aim to its biological functions. Related researches are mainly focused on its functions as a regulator of the splicing of pre-mRNAs and the expression of parental gene in nucleus or as a competitive inhibitor of miRNAs absorbed by the circRNAs in cytoplasm. The related diseases include Parkinson disease, diabetes, cancers, cardiomyopathy and so on. According to the nature of the sequence contained in the ring, circRNAs can be divided into circular exonic RNA, circular intronic RNA, and ElciRNAs. The sequences contained within the circRNAs are mainly exons, whose ability of guiding the protein synthesis still remains controversial. In this paper, the current researches on the translation ability of circRNAs were reviewed, and the possible biological information tools and lab methods to identify such ability were recommended. Key words: circRNAs; Translation; Identification; Methods