CircAge: A Comprehensive Resource for Aging-Associated Circular RNAs Across Species and Tissues

Dong, X., Zhou, Z., Wang, Y., Nisar, A., Pu, S., Lv, L., Li, Y., Lu, X., He, Y.

Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences · biorxiv

Paper

Abstract

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a novel class of RNA molecules characterized by a circular structure and enhanced stability. Emerging evidence indicates that circRNAs play pivotal regulatory roles in the aging process. Despite this, there is a lack of a systematic resource that integrates aging-associated circRNA data. Therefore, we developed a comprehensive database named circAge, which encompasses 689 aging-related samples from 7 species and 21 tissue types. We also generated 47 new tissue samples from mice and rhesus monkeys through high-throughput sequencing. Integrating predictions from multiple bioinformatics tools, we identified over 413,378 unique circRNAs. Our data analysis revealed a general increase in circRNA expression levels with age, with approximately 22% of circRNAs demonstrating sequence conservation across species. The circAge database systematically predicts potential interactions between circRNAs and miRNAs, RNA-binding proteins, and assesses the coding potential of circRNAs. This resource lays a foundation for elucidating the regulatory mechanisms of circRNAs in aging. As a comprehensive repository of aging-associated circRNAs, circAge will significantly accelerate research in this field, facilitating the discovery of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for aging biology and developing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for aging and age-related diseases. CircAge is publicly available at https://circage.kiz.ac.cn.

The following analysis is generated by AI and may contain errors. It is separate from the authors’ abstract and is not peer review.

Research summary

The paper presents a comprehensive database of aging-associated circular RNAs, which is relevant to understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying aging. By integrating data across multiple species and tissues, it provides a valuable resource for researchers in the field of aging biology. However, while it contributes to the understanding of circRNAs in aging, it does not present groundbreaking findings or novel therapeutic strategies, limiting its overall impact.

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