IGF::OT::IGF SBIR Phase I Topic 356 Flourogenic assay platform for circular RNA detectionPoP 9/18/2017 - 6/18/2018.

环状RNAs(CircRNAs)是一类新的非编码RNAs，是表位转录组的丰富成分。 CircRNAs的潜在功能包括miRNA隔离、RNA结合蛋白支架、mRNA捕获和 蛋白质翻译调控。这些角色中的一个或多个的放松管制与几种类型的癌症有关， 包括胰腺癌、基底细胞癌和胶质瘤。一种研究得很好的CircRNA，CIRS-7，被认为是一种 MiRNA-7海绵并抑制其对致癌受体和肿瘤抑制因子的调节。尽管有这么多 围绕CircRNA的兴奋，许多最近发现的CircRNA仍然知之甚少，进展 太慢了。一个重要原因是缺乏简单易用的工具来研究单个CircRNA。认识到这一点 未得到满足的需求，我们建议开发一个简单的荧光检测平台来检测生物化学中感兴趣的CircRNA 和基于细胞裂解物的样本。在第一阶段，我们将开发一种CircRNA传感器分析方法，它将专门识别cirs-7病毒。 并发出荧光信号。由于建议的分析平台的便携性质，CIRS-7传感器可以很容易地 被修改以识别其他感兴趣的CircRNA。一旦开发出来，CircRNA传感器平台将会找到应用 在CircRNA研究、药物发现和生物标记物诊断方面。

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of non-coding RNAs that are an abundant component of the epitranscriptome. Putative functions of circRNAs, include miRNA sequestration, RNA-binding protein scaffolding, mRNA trapping, and protein translation regulation. Deregulation in one or more of these roles has been linked to several types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, basal cell carcinoma, and gliomas. One well-studied circRNA, ciRS-7, is believed to act as a miRNA-7 sponge and inhibit its regulation of oncogenic receptors and tumor suppressor factors. Despite all the excitement around circRNAs, many of the recently discovered circRNAs remain poorly understood and progress has been extremely slow. An important reason is the lack of easy-to-use tools to study individual circRNA. Recognizing this unmet need, we propose to develop a simple fluorogenic assay platform to detect circRNAs of interest in biochemical and cell lysate-based samples. In phase I, we will develop a circRNA sensor assay that will specifically recognize ciRS-7 and emit fluorescence signal. Due to portable nature of the proposed assay platform, the ciRS-7 sensor can be easily modified to recognize other circRNAs of interest. Once developed, the circRNA sensor platform would find applications in circRNA research, drug discovery, and biomarker diagnostics.