Abstract
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are novel endogenous non-coding RNAs characterized by the presence of a covalent bond linking the 3' and 5' ends generated by backsplicing. In this review, we summarize a number of the latest theories regarding the biogenesis, properties and functions of circRNAs. Specifically, we focus on the advancing characteristics and functions of circRNAs in the brain and neurological diseases. CircRNAs exhibit the characteristics of species conservation, abundance and tissue/developmental-stage-specific expression in the brain. We also describe the relationship between circRNAs and several neurological diseases and highlight their functions in neurological diseases.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful for the anonymous reviewers’ constructive comments and suggestions.
Declaration of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 81301119]; National Key Technology Research and Development Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China [grant number 2013BAI09B03]; Beijing Municipal Administration of Hospitals’ Youth Programme [grant number QML20160504].