环形RNA作为一种新的非编码RNA，虽距发现已有30年，但对其重要性的认识和研究才刚刚开始。目前环形RNA的生理功能尚不清楚。在小鼠中，发现环形RNA在睾丸中的表达丰度仅次于最高的脑组织，且这些环形RNA表达呈现一定的阶段特异性，提示环形RNA在精子发生中发挥重要的生物学功能。实验室前期研究发现一种外显子环形RNA, 从人、小鼠、猪一直到果蝇都存在，且其表达均呈现睾丸特异性，表明该外显子环形RNA高度保守和古老。 我们拟通过建立环形RNA敲除动物模型，阐明这个高度保守的生殖特异的环形RNA在精子发生中的生物学功能，揭示环形RNA调控精子发生发育的分子机制；并结合人、小鼠和果蝇睾丸的高通量测序，全面鉴定人精子发生过程中高度保守的环形RNA，为临床男性不育的诊断和治疗提供新的方向和理论依据。

Circular RNA was discovered about 30 years ago, but it only caught the spotlight until recently when high throughput sequencing data revealed the widespread presence of this unique type of non-coding RNAs in diverse organisms and various tissues. The interest in its generation, physiological function and roles in human diseases was reignited. Testis was found to be one of the tissues with highest circular RNAs expression but little is known about their roles in the tissues or in reproduction. We have discovered circular RNAs from highly conserved reproductive gene—BOULE locus. These circular RNAs appear to be specifically expressed in the testis and exhibited a developmentally regulated expression pattern during spermatogenesis. Comparative analysis revealed the orthologous circular RNAs are present not only in mammalian species including human, mouse and pigs, but also in other vertebrates and all the way to fruit flies, making them one of most highly conserved and ancient circular RNAs known so far. Generation of knockout animals removing those circular RNAs implicate their potential roles in fertility. Detailed characterization of those knockout animals was proposed to determine the physiological function of circular RNA in fruit flies and mice, and to elucidate molecular mechanisms by which they regulate spermatogenesis.