Circular RNA repertoires are associated with evolutionarily young transposable elements

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are found across eukaryotes and can function in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Their biogenesis through a circle-forming backsplicing reaction is facilitated by reverse-complementary repetitive sequences promoting pre-mRNA folding. Orthologous genes from which circRNA...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Gruhl, Franziska (VerfasserIn) , Janich, Peggy (VerfasserIn) , Kaessmann, Henrik (VerfasserIn) , Gatfield, David (VerfasserIn)
Dokumenttyp: Article (Journal)
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: 20 September 2021
In: eLife
Year: 2021, Jahrgang: 10, Pages: 1-33
ISSN:2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.67991
Online-Zugang:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.67991
Volltext
Verfasserangaben:Franziska Gruhl, Peggy Janich, Henrik Kaessmann, David Gatfield
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are found across eukaryotes and can function in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Their biogenesis through a circle-forming backsplicing reaction is facilitated by reverse-complementary repetitive sequences promoting pre-mRNA folding. Orthologous genes from which circRNAs arise, overall contain more strongly conserved splice sites and exons than other genes, yet it remains unclear to what extent this conservation reflects purifying selection acting on the circRNAs themselves. Our analyses of circRNA repertoires from five species representing three mammalian lineages (marsupials, eutherians: rodents, primates) reveal that surprisingly few circRNAs arise from orthologous exonic loci across all species. Even the circRNAs from orthologous loci are associated with young, recently active and species-specific transposable elements, rather than with common, ancient transposon integration events. These observations suggest that many circRNAs emerged convergently during evolution - as a byproduct of splicing in orthologs prone to transposon insertion. Overall, our findings argue against widespread functional circRNA conservation.
Beschreibung:Gesehen am 24.12.2021
Beschreibung:Online Resource
ISSN:2050-084X
DOI:10.7554/eLife.67991