CircRNA is a type of RNA molecule that is formed when the ends of a linear RNA molecule are joined together to create a circular loop. CircRNA molecules are found in all cells, but their function is not fully understood.
In a new study, published in the journal Nature Communications, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) have shown that circRNA can be formed by a process called "back-splicing." Back-splicing occurs when the spliceosome, a complex of proteins that normally removes introns from linear RNA molecules, instead joins two exons together to create a circular RNA molecule.
The scientists found that back-splicing is particularly common in genes that are associated with muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a group of genetic disorders that cause progressive muscle weakness and wasting.
The scientists believe that the circRNA molecules that are formed by back-splicing may play a role in the development of muscular dystrophy. They plan to further investigate this possibility in future studies.
The discovery of a new mechanism by which circRNA is formed is a significant advance in our understanding of these mysterious molecules. This research may also lead to new insights into the development of muscular dystrophy and other genetic disorders.
