| Title | Minor and major circRNAs in virus and host genomes |
|---|---|
| Author | Zhihao Lou1, Rui Zhou2, Yinghua Su1, Chun Liu1, Wenting Ruan3, Che Ok Jeon3, Xiao Han1*, Chun Lin2*, and Baolei Jia3* |
| Address | 1College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fujian 350108, P. R. China, 2Mengchao Hepatobiliary Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fujian 350108, P. R. China, 3Department of Life Science, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea |
| Bibliography | Journal of Microbiology, 59(3),324–331, 2021, |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12275-021-1021-z |
| Key Words | ncRNAs, circRNAs, virus, HIV, HBV |
| Abstract | As a special type of noncoding RNA, circular RNAs (circRNAs) are prevalent in many organisms. They can serve as sponges for microRNAs and protein scaffolds, or templates for protein translation, making them linked to cellular homeostasis and disease progression. In recent years, circRNAs have been found to be abnormally expressed during the processes of viral infection and pathogenesis, and can help a virus escape the immune response of a host. Thus, they are now considered to play important functions in the invasion and development of viruses. Moreover, the potential application of circRNAs as biomarkers of viral infection or candidates for therapeutic targeting deserves consideration. This review summarizes circRNAs in the transcriptome, including their classification, production, functions, and value as biomarkers. This review paper also describes research progress on circRNAs in viral infection (mainly hepatitis B virus, HIV, and some human herpes viruses) and aims to provide new ideas for antiviral therapies targeting circRNAs. |