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Volume 35, No 1, Jan 2025

ISSN: 1001-0602 
EISSN: 1748-7838 2018 
impact factor 17.848* 
(Clarivate Analytics, 2019)

Volume 35 Issue 1, January 2025: 11-22   |  Open Access

REVIEW ARTICLE

Modern biology of extrachromosomal DNA: A decade-long voyage of discovery

Qing-Lin Yang1,2,† , Yipeng Xie1,† , Kailiang Qiao1,† , Jun Yi Stanley Lim1 , Sihan Wu1,*

1Children’s Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
2Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
These authors contributed equally: Qing-Lin Yang, Yipeng Xie, Kailiang Qiao
Correspondence: Sihan Wu(Sihan.Wu@UTSouthwestern.edu)

Genomic instability is a hallmark of cancer and is a major driving force of tumorigenesis. A key manifestation of genomic instability is the formation of extrachromosomal DNAs (ecDNAs) — acentric, circular DNA molecules ranging from 50 kb to 5 Mb in size, distinct from chromosomes. Ontological studies have revealed that ecDNA serves as a carrier of oncogenes, immunoregulatory genes, and enhancers, capable of driving elevated transcription of its cargo genes and cancer heterogeneity, leading to rapid tumor evolution and therapy resistance. Although ecDNA was documented over half a century ago, the past decade has witnessed a surge in breakthrough discoveries about its biological functions. Here, we systematically review the modern biology of ecDNA uncovered over the last ten years, focusing on how discoveries during this pioneering stage have illuminated our understanding of ecDNA-driven transcription, heterogeneity, and cancer progression. Furthermore, we discuss ongoing efforts to target ecDNA as a novel approach to cancer therapy. This burgeoning field is entering a new phase, poised to reshape our knowledge of cancer biology and therapeutic strategies.


https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-024-01054-8

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