Abstract: Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are a family of important regulatory molecules in organisms, and the regulation of circadian rhythms by ncRNAs has received increasing attention from researchers. In this article, we reviewed the regulation of circadian rhythms by microRNAs (miRNAs) and long-chain non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the context of the related studies of Drosophila melanogaster and mammals. miRNA-mediated regulation of circadian rhythms includes: there are miRNAs with rhythmic expression in organisms, especially in clock neurons; the interaction between input systems and miRNAs mainly via the zeitgeber of light; miRNAs can directly regulate the core oscillator or indirectly affect the core oscillator by regulating other genes; and the regulation of miRNAs on the output system mainly focuses on metabolic feeding rhythms, locomotion rhythms, and sleep rhythms. The circadian rhythm and lncRNAs can regulate each other, and lncRNAs have a wide range of effects and complex mechanisms, which has broad research prospects. This article will be useful for further studies on the regulation of circadian rhythms by non-coding RNAs.

Key words: Drosophila, mammal, ncRNA, microRNA, lncRNA, circadian rhythm