The aging of an organism is reflected not only in the function of its organs but also in the molecular signatures written into its cells. For years, scientists have cataloged the changes in protein-coding genes and various non-coding RNAs that occur as we grow older. However, one class of molecules—circular RNAs originating from the genome of our cellular power plants, the mitochondria—has remained largely unexplored.

A new research paper, titled “Aging-associated mitochondrial circular RNAs” published in Volume 18 of Aging-US by a multi-institutional team of researchers, provides the first detailed profile of these molecules and reveals a surprising link to cellular energy metabolism.

The team’s investigation demonstrates that a specific mitochondrial circular RNA, circMT-RNR2, is depleted in older individuals and plays a direct role in regulating the TCA cycle, the engine of cellular energy production.

Full blog - https://aging-us.org/2026/03/mitochondrial-circular-rnas-new-players-in-human-aging/

Paper DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206354

Corresponding authors - Je-Hyun Yoon - [email protected], and Young-Kook Kim - [email protected]

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8uZ6_tcOHw

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Keywords - aging, circular RNA, MT-RNR2, GRSF1, TCA cycle

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