Structure and degradation of circular RNAs regulate PKR activation in innate immunity

(Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters) In a study published in Cell, a team led by Dr. CHEN Lingling at the Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and Dr. YANG Li at the CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology discovered that most examined circRNAs tend to form 16-26 bp intramolecularly imperfect RNA duplexes. In addition, circRNAs preferentially bind to dsRNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) which is related to innate immunity and act as PKR inhibitors.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news