摘要
Circular RNAs(circRNAs)are prevalent in animals and plants and are created through the back-splicing of pre-mRNAs.Previously thought to be by-products,the discovery of circRNA’s hidden roles in gene regulation has led to a greater understanding of their importance.These molecules may act as molecular sponges by sequestering miRNAs or RNA binding proteins,or may promote the transcription of nearby genes.Recent research has shown that circRNAs require the internal ribosomal entry site(IRES)for translation in a capindependent mechanism due to the lack of a 5’end.However,the research community does not share a common opinion on the existence of IRESs in eukaryotic transcriptomes,casting doubts on the scope of circRNA translation.
