Circular RNAs Regulate Neuron Size and Migration of Midbrain Dopamine Neurons During Development

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2024 Aug 8

PMID 39117691

Authors

Mateja Rybiczka-Tesulov

Oxana Garritsen

Morten T Veno

Laura Wieg

Roland van Dijk

Karim Rahimi

Andreia Gomes-Duarte

Marina de Wit

Lieke L van de Haar

Lars Michels

Nicky C H van Kronenburg

Christiaan van der Meer

Jorgen Kjems

Vamshidhar R Vangoor

R Jeroen Pasterkamp

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Midbrain dopamine (mDA) neurons play an essential role in cognitive and motor behaviours and are linked to different brain disorders. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their development, and in particular the role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), remain incompletely understood. Here, we establish the transcriptomic landscape and alternative splicing patterns of circular RNAs (circRNAs) at key developmental timepoints in mouse mDA neurons in vivo using fluorescence-activated cell sorting followed by short- and long-read RNA sequencing. In situ hybridisation shows expression of several circRNAs during early mDA neuron development and post-transcriptional silencing unveils roles for different circRNAs in regulating mDA neuron morphology. Finally, in utero electroporation and time-lapse imaging implicate circRmst, a circRNA with widespread morphological effects, in the migration of developing mDA neurons in vivo. Together, these data for the first time suggest a functional role for circRNAs in developing mDA neurons and characterise poorly defined aspects of mDA neuron development.

Citing Articles

Global dysregulation of circular RNAs in frontal cortex and whole blood from DM1 and DM2.

Srinivasan A, Magner D, Kozlowski P, Philips A, Kajdasz A, Wojciechowski P Hum Genet. 2025; .

PMID: 39903274 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-025-02729-x.

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