The bioinformatic tools, characteristics, biological functions and molecular mechanisms associated with plant circular RNA

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed RNA molecules formed through the back-splicing of precursor mRNA, widely found in eukaryotes. They regulate linear mRNA expression and fulfill various biological roles, including serving as miRNA sponges, interacting with proteins to modulate pathways, and influencing protein translation. CircRNAs have been extensively studied for their significant roles in plant growth, development, and responses to both abiotic and biotic stresses. This review presents a comprehensive summary of bioinformatics tools, online databases, characteristics, research methods, potential biological functions and molecular mechanisms of circRNA in plants. It specifically delves into strategies for studying circRNAs, including techniques for overexpression, silencing, and knockdown. Furthermore, it highlights molecular studies on the role of circRNA in plant growth and stress responses. The discussed mechanisms include circRNA acting as miRNA sponges, regulating parental gene expression, interacting with proteins, and exhibiting potential translational functions. By offering a detailed overview of plant circRNAs, this review aims to deepen researchers´ understanding and provide valuable insights for future circRNA studies.