How circRNAs round up miRNAs

摘要

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been detected in animal cells, but their function has been unclear. Two papers, one from the laboratory of Nikolaus Rajewsky and one from the lab of J?rgen Kjems, have now defined a function for a circRNA that binds to the microRNA miR-7. They find that this circRNA is replete with microRNA binding sites and can act as a 'sponge' capable of binding scores of miRNAs for every circRNA molecule. These studies suggest a role for circRNA in post-transcriptional regulation.