The structural view of the protein PGD-219aa encoded by the circular RNA CircPGD

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), belonging to the class of non-coding RNA molecules, have emerged as one of the key regulators of gene expression. Some of the circRNAs have proven protein-coding potentials, and their gene products play significant roles in various physiological and pathological processes. One such protein is PGD-219aa, which is derived from the circRNA named CircPGD. The protein has been shown to regulate the SMAD3 and YAP signalling pathways in gastric cancer. Nothing but the amino acid sequence of the protein is available to date. Therefore, we used in silico methods to characterize the protein and decipher its functional roles. Furthermore, we performed pathway analyses to shed light on the biochemical avenues where the protein might have a significant presence. Subsequently, we could propose its association not only with gastric cancer but also with other diseases as well. This is the first such report, and our work may help in future drug development endeavours to combat the spread of gastric cancer tumours.