Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a recent addition to the expanding universe of RNA species and originate through back-splicing events from linear primary transcripts. CircRNAs show specific expression profiles with regards to cell type and developmental stage. Importantly, only few circRNAs have been functionally characterized to date. The detection of circRNAs from RNA sequencing data is a complex computational workflow that, depending on tissue and condition typically yields candidate sets of hundreds or thousands of circRNA candidates. Here, we provide an overview on different computational analysis tools and pipelines that became available throughout the last years. We outline technical and experimental requirements that are common to all approaches and point out potential pitfalls during the computational analysis. Although computational prediction of circRNAs has become quite mature in recent years, we provide a set of valuable validation strategies, in silico as well as in vitro-based approaches. In addition to circRNA detection via back-splicing junction, we present available analysis pipelines for delineating the primary sequence and for predicting possible functions of circRNAs. Finally, we outline the most important web resources for circRNA research. This article is categorized under: RNA Methods > RNA Analyses in vitro and In Silico RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA.

中文翻译：

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环状RNA分析的计算方法。

环状RNA（circRNA）是RNA种类不断扩展的最新补充，其起源是来自线性初级转录本的反向剪接事件。CircRNA显示出关于细胞类型和发育阶段的特异性表达谱。重要的是，迄今为止，仅少数circRNA在功能上得到了表征。从RNA测序数据中检测circRNA的过程很复杂，取决于组织和条件，通常会产生数百或数千个circRNA候选物。在这里，我们提供了在过去几年中可用的各种计算分析工具和管道的概述。我们概述了所有方法共有的技术和实验要求，并指出了计算分析过程中的潜在陷阱。尽管近年来对circRNA的计算预测已经相当成熟，但我们提供了一套有价值的验证策略，无论是计算机化还是基于体外的方法。除了通过反向剪接连接检测circRNA以外，我们还提供了可用的分析管线，用于描绘一级序列和预测circRNA的可能功能。最后，我们概述了circRNA研究最重要的网络资源。本文归类于以下类别：RNA方法>体外RNA分析和计算机模拟RNA进化和基因组学> RNA的计算分析。我们提供了可用的分析管线，用于描述一级序列和预测circRNA的可能功能。最后，我们概述了circRNA研究最重要的网络资源。本文归类于以下类别：RNA方法>体外RNA分析和计算机模拟RNA进化和基因组学> RNA的计算分析。我们提供了可用的分析管线，用于描述一级序列和预测circRNA的可能功能。最后，我们概述了circRNA研究最重要的网络资源。本文归类于以下类别：RNA方法>体外RNA分析和计算机模拟RNA进化和基因组学> RNA的计算分析。