Integrative Epigenomic Analysis of Transcriptional Regulation of Human CircRNAs

Overview

Journal Front Genet

Date 2021 Feb 11

PMID 33569079

Citations 4

Authors

Xue-Cang Li

Zhi-Dong Tang

Li Peng

Yan-Yu Li

Feng-Cui Qian

Jian-Mei Zhao

Ling-Wen Ding

Xiao-Juan Du

Meng Li

Jian Zhang

Xue-Feng Bai

Jiang Zhu

Chen-Chen Feng

Qiu-Yu Wang

Jian Pan

Chun-Quan Li

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are evolutionarily conserved and abundant non-coding RNAs whose functions and regulatory mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we identify and characterize an epigenomically distinct group of circRNAs (TAH-circRNAs), which are transcribed to a higher level than their host genes. By integrative analysis of cistromic and transcriptomic data, we find that compared with other circRNAs, TAH-circRNAs are expressed more abundantly and have more transcription factors (TFs) binding sites and lower DNA methylation levels. Concordantly, TAH-circRNAs are enriched in open and active chromatin regions. Importantly, ChIA-PET results showed that 23-52% of transcription start sites (TSSs) of TAH-circRNAs have direct interactions with cis-regulatory regions, strongly suggesting their independent transcriptional regulation from host genes. In addition, we characterize molecular features of super-enhancer-driven circRNAs in cancer biology. Together, this study comprehensively analyzes epigenomic characteristics of circRNAs and identifies a distinct group of TAH-circRNAs that are independently transcribed via enhancers and super-enhancers by TFs. These findings substantially advance our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of circRNAs and may have important implications for future investigations of this class of non-coding RNAs.

Citing Articles

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Circular RNAs in the Origin of Developmental Lung Disease: Promising Diagnostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers.

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