Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are stable, ring-shaped molecules that play crucial roles in brain development, cognition, and long-term cellular regulation. Unlike typical RNA, they form closed loops that resist degradation, making them ideal for neurons.
New research reveals that the protein ELAV acts as a master regulator of circRNA production by slowing linear splicing and promoting back-splicing. This mechanism, discovered in fruit flies, may also be active in humans and could offer new insights into brain health and disease.
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amazing how one protein like ELAV can have such a big impact on brain health through circular RNAs!
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