Size matters: conserved proteins function in length-dependent nuclear export of circular RNAs

  1. Anita K. Hopper1,2
  1. 1Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA;
  2. 2The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA;
  3. 3Comprehensive Cancer Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
  1. Corresponding author: hopper.64{at}osu.edu

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) comprise a recently appreciated category of RNAs that are in high abundance and serve important biological functions. Although several discoveries have been made regarding the biogenesis and functions of circRNAs, their subcellular trafficking has remained largely unknown. In this issue of Genes & Development, Huang and colleagues (pp. 639–644) reported the first study of the nuclear export of circRNAs. Drosophila Hel25E and its human homologs, UAP56 and URH49, are required for nuclear export of circRNAs. Nuclear export of circRNAs is surprisingly length-dependent, and the length measurement mechanism was shown to be controlled by motifs in Hel25E and its homologs consisting of four amino acids.

Keywords

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