SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV encode circular RNAs of spliceosome-independent origin.

ABSTRACT: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a newly recognized component of the transcriptome with critical roles in autoimmune diseases and viral pathogenesis. To address the importance of circRNA in RNA viral transcriptome, we systematically identified and characterized circRNAs encoded by the RNA genomes of betacoronaviruses using both bioinformatical and experimental approaches. We predicted 351, 224, and 2764 circRNAs derived from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, respectively. We experimentally identified 75 potential SARS-CoV-2 circRNAs from RNA samples extracted from SARS-CoV-2-infected Vero E6 cells. A systematic comparison of viral and host circRNA features, including abundance, strand preference, length dis

SUBMITTER: Yang S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9088628 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature