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RNA editing in hepatitis delta virus.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) relies heavily on host functions and on structural features of the viral RNA. A good example of this reliance is found in the process known as HDV RNA editing, which requires particular structural features in the HDV antigenome, and a host RNA editing enzyme, ADAR1. During replication, the adenosine at the amber/W site in the HDV antigenome is edited to inosine. As a result, the amber stop codon in the hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) open reading frame is changed to a tryptophan codon and the reading frame is extended by 19 or 20 codons. Because these extra amino acids alter the functional properties of HDAg, this change serves a critical purpose in the HDV replication cycle. Analysis of the RNA secondary structures and regulation of editing in HDV genotypes I and III has indicated that although editing is essential for both genotypes, there are substantial differences. This review covers the mechanisms of RNA editing in the HDV replication cycle and the regulatory mechanisms by which HDV controls editing.

Adenosine↗

Roles for ligases in the RNA editing complex of Trypanosoma brucei: band IV is needed for U-deletion and RNA repair.

Trypanosome RNA editing utilizes a seven polypeptide complex that includes two RNA ligases, band IV and band V. We now find that band IV protein contributes to the structural stability of the editing complex, so its lethal genetic knock-out could reflect structural or catalytic requirements. To assess the catalytic role in editing, we generated cell lines which inducibly replaced band IV protein with an enzymatically inactive but structurally conserved version. This induction halts cell growth, showing that catalytic activity is essential. These induced cells have impaired in vivo editing, specifically of RNAs requiring uridylate (U) deletion; unligated RNAs cleaved at U-deletion sites accumulated. Additionally, mitochondrial extracts of cells with reduced band IV activity were deficient in catalyzing U-deletion, specifically at its ligation step, but were not deficient in U-insertion. Thus band IV ligase is needed to seal RNAs in U-deletion. U-insertion does not appear to require band IV, so it might use the other ligase of the editing complex. Furthermore, band IV ligase was also found to serve an RNA repair function, both in vitro and in vivo.

Animals↗

Differential RNA editing in closely related introns in Oenothera mitochondria.

Introns a/b of the nad2 gene and b/c of the nad1 gene in Oenothera mitochondria were found to be closely related. Within a scaffold of conserved sequence regions, a 48 bp sequence element covering intron domain V and flanking nucleotides is identical in both group II introns. The third nucleotide of this element is edited in the nad2, but not in the nad1 intervening sequence. The C to U editing event compensates an nad2-specific nucleotide mismatch in the stem domain IV and thus improves secondary structure stability. This differential editing event indicates that the identical upstream 2 and downstream 45 nucleotides are not sufficient to specify this editing site. Comparison of adjacent exon editing patterns in spliced and unspliced transcripts shows a higher degree of editing in processed sequences, confirming that RNA editing is a posttranscriptional process in plant mitochondria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Creation of an initiation codon by RNA editing in the coxI transcript from tomato mitochondria.

Nucleotide-sequence analysis showed that the gene for cytochrome oxidase subunit I (coxI) from tomato mitochondrial DNA has an ACG codon at a conserved position corresponding to an ATG initiation codon in other higher-plant coxI genes. cDNA-sequence analysis of the coxI transcripts showed that 15 positions in the genomic DNA were converted from C to U in the transcripts by RNA editing. One of the editing events is observed at the indicated ACG codon, producing an ATG initiation codon. The nucleotide sequences of 37 cDNA clones showed that the initiation codon was created in 32 out of the 37 clones, while nucleotide positions 254 and 11 were edited in 37 and 34 of the 37 clones examined, respectively, suggesting that creation of the initiation codon is a post-transcriptional event. The BamHI site at nucleotide position 757-762 within the coxI genomic DNA was altered in all 97 cDNA clones examined, demonstrating that RNA editing at this site in the transcripts is very common. RNA editing takes place to a lesser extent at the initiation codon, compared with editing at internal position 254. This indicates that editing is either a random process or that it involves a mechanism favoring less RNA editing in the initiation codon than in internal sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Altered RNA editing of serotonin 5-HT2C receptor induced by interferon: implications for depression associated with cytokine therapy.

Members of the ADAR (adenosine deaminases acting on RNA) gene family are involved in one type of RNA editing that converts adenosine residues to inosine. The A-to-I editing of serotonin receptor subtype 2C (5-HT(2C)R) mRNA leads to replacement of three amino acid residues located within the intracellular loop II domain, resulting in dramatic alterations in G-protein coupling functions of the receptor. It has been speculated that RNA editing may play a role in several pharmacological and behavioral processes where the serotonergic plasticity is mediated through 5-HT(2C)R. Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) often causes severe depression in patients treated for chronic viral hepatitis and certain malignancies. In this study, we examined the effects of IFN-alpha on RNA editing in human glioblastoma cell lines, which express 5-HT(2C)R mRNAs. ADAR1 expression and the pattern of the 5-HT(2C)R mRNA editing rapidly changed in response to IFN-alpha, leading to the dominant expression of the 5-HT(2C)R-VSI isoform predicted to have reduced G-protein coupling functions. Our results support the hypothesis that 5-HT(2C)R mRNA editing has causative relevance in the pathophysiology of depression associated with cytokine therapy.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

An in vitro RNA editing system from cauliflower mitochondria: editing site recognition parameters can vary in different plant species.

Most of the 400 RNA editing sites in flowering plant mitochondria are found in mRNAs. Consequently, the sequence vicinities of homologous sites are highly conserved between different species and are presumably recognized by likewise conserved trans-factors. To investigate the evolutionary adaptation to sequence variation, we have now analyzed the recognition elements of an editing site with divergent upstream sequences in the two species pea and cauliflower. This variation is tolerated at the site selected, because the upstream cis-elements reach into the 5'-UTR of the mRNA. To compare cis-recognition features in pea and cauliflower mitochondria, we developed a new in vitro RNA editing system for cauliflower. In vitro editing assays with deleted and mutated template RNAs show that the major recognition elements for both species are located within the conserved sequence. In cauliflower, however, the essential upstream nucleotides extend further upstream than they do in pea. In-depth analysis of single-nucleotide mutations reveals critical spacing of the editing site and the specific recognition elements, and shows that the +1 nucleotide identity is important in cauliflower, but not in pea.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Evidence that RNA editing modulates splice site selection in the 5-HT2C receptor gene.

Adenosine to inosine editing of mRNA from the human 5-HT2C receptor gene (HTR2C) occurs at five exonic positions (A-E) in a stable stem-loop that includes the normal 5' splice site of intron 5 and is flanked by two alternative splice sites. Using in vitro editing, we identified a novel editing site (F) located in the intronic part of the stem-loop and demonstrated editing at this site in human brain. We have shown that in cell culture, base substitutions to mimic editing at different combinations of the six sites profoundly affect relative splicing at the normal and the upstream alternative splice site, but splicing at the downstream alternative splice site was consistently rare. Editing combinations in different splice variants from human brain were determined and are consistent with the effects of editing on splicing observed in cell culture. As RNA editing usually occurs close to exon/intron boundaries, this is likely to be a general phenomenon and suggests an important novel role for RNA editing.

Aged↗

Goldfish brain GluR2: multiple forms, RNA editing, and alternative splicing.

cDNA coding for a full-length goldfish alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunit, GluR2, was cloned by screening unidirectional and bidirectional goldfish brain cDNA libraries. The clone has an open reading frame of 2679 bp, encoding a protein of 893 amino acids. Partial cDNA clones for three other GluR2 subunits were identified. GluR2 from goldfish brain exhibits RNA editing and alternative splicing. RNA editing occurred at the two sites demonstrated for mammalian GluR2 (Q/R and R/G). Unlike rat GluR2, GFGluR2a has a long (68 amino acids) C-terminal tail. Analysis of genomic DNA suggests that an alternatively spliced shorter C-terminal tail can be produced, similar to the rat protein. Thus, in goldfish brain, GluR2 exhibits diversity arising from multiple subtypes, RNA editing, and alternative splicing.

Alternative Splicing↗

RNA editing in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts.

In the mitochondria and chloroplasts of flowering plants (angiosperms), transcripts of protein-coding genes are altered after synthesis so that their final primary nucleotide sequence differs from that of the corresponding DNA sequence. This posttranscriptional mRNA editing consists almost exclusively of C-to-U substitutions. Editing occurs predominantly within coding regions, mostly at isolated C residues, and usually at first or second positions of codons, thereby almost always changing the amino acid from that specified by the unedited codon. Editing may also create initiation and termination codons. The net effect of C-to-U RNA editing in plants is to make proteins encoded by plant organelles more similar in sequence to their nonplant homologs. In a few cases, a strong argument can be made that specific C-to-U editing events are essential for the production of functional plant mitochondrial proteins. Although the phenomenon of RNA editing in plants is now well documented, fundamental questions remain to be answered: What determines the specificity of editing? What is the biochemical mechanism (deamination, base exchange, or nucleotide replacement)? How did the system evolve? RNA editing in plants, as in other organisms, challenges our traditional notions of genetic information transfer.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

RNA editing in wheat mitochondria.

C to U transitions in plant mitochondrial mRNA (RNA editing) lead to amino acid changes as well as to the creation of new initiation or termination codons. We established an in vitro system to assay and to dissect the process of wheat mitochondrial mRNA editing. A deamination mechanism explains most easily the observed C to U transitions. Several fractions of organellar protein participate in the editing machinery. Some of these proteins presumably carry the catalytic activity while others are typical RNA binding proteins and may confer specificity to the 'editosome' complex. To investigate the functional properties of protein products synthesized from unedited mRNAs, we constructed transgenic tobacco plants carrying an unedited gene coding for subunit 9 (ATP9) of the ATP synthase complex. The nuclear encoded 'unedited' protein product is targeted to the mitochondria with a heterologous presequence. A significant number of male sterile tobacco plants were obtained suggesting that at least the functional ATP9 protein requires RNA editing. This result suggests a novel approach to obtain artificial male sterile plants by using a physiological effect resulting in CMS which mimics the situation found in many natural populations.

Codon, Initiator↗

The ATPase subunit 6 gene sequence predicts that RNA editing is conserved between lizard- and human-infecting Leishmania.

Here we investigate the similarities in the kinetoplastid RNA editing process between human- and lizard-infecting Leishmania species. We present the sequence of the maxicircle-encoded ATPase subunit 6 gene from L. (V.) panamensis, L. (L.) mexicana and L. (L.) donovani species of human-infecting Leishmania. These represent the first available sequences of this gene from Leishmania species other than the lizard-infecting L. tarentolae. The gene sequences are highly conserved, both over the edited and unedited parts of the gene, implying that the RNA editing process is likely to be highly conserved between Leishmania species. Indeed, the first editing domain is absolutely conserved in all three Leishmania species studied and L. tarentolae. A phylogeny based on part of the ATPase subunit 6 gene placed the lizard-infecting Leishmania within the monophyletic Leishmania genus, supporting previous data which suggest that lizard- and human-infecting Leishmania species are closely related.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

A 40 kilodalton rat liver nuclear protein binds specifically to apolipoprotein B mRNA around the RNA editing site.

Apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 mRNA is the product of RNA editing which consists of a C----U conversion changing a CAA codon encoding Gln-2153 in apoB-100 mRNA to a UAA stop codon in apoB-48 mRNA. In the adult rat, RNA editing occurs both in the small intestine and the liver. We have studied the ability of rat liver nuclear extracts to bind to synthetic apoB mRNA segments spanning the editing site. Using an RNA gel mobility shift assay, we found the sequence-specific binding of a protein(s) to a 65-nucleotide apoB-100 mRNA. UV crosslinking followed by T1 ribonuclease digestion and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated the formation of a 40 kDa protein-RNA complex when 32P-labeled apoB-100 mRNA was incubated with a rat liver nuclear extract but not with HeLa nuclear extract. Binding was specific for the sense strand of apoB mRNA, and was not demonstrated with single-stranded apoB DNA, or antisense apoB RNA. The complex also failed to form if SDS was present during the UV light exposure. Binding experiments using synthetic apoB mRNAs indicate that the 40 kDa protein would also bind to apoB-48 mRNA but not apoA-I, apoA-IV, apoC-II or apoE mRNA. Experiments using deletion mutants of apoB-100 mRNA indicate efficient binding of wildtype 65-nucleotide (W65), 40-nucleotide (W40) and 26-nucleotide (W26) apoB-100 mRNA segments, but not 10-nucleotide (or smaller) segments of apoB-100 mRNA to the 40 kDa protein. In contrast, two other regions of apoB-100 mRNA, B-5' (bases 1128-3003) and B-3' (bases 11310-11390), failed to bind to the protein. The 40 kDa sequence-specific binding protein in rat liver nuclear extract may play a role in apoB-100 mRNA editing.

Animals↗

A 6 bp Z-DNA hairpin binds two Z alpha domains from the human RNA editing enzyme ADAR1.

The Z alpha domain of the human RNA editing enzyme double-stranded RNA deaminase I (ADAR1) binds to left-handed Z-DNA with high affinity. We found by analytical ultracentrifugation and CD spectroscopy that two Z alpha domains bind to one d(CG)3T4(CG)3 hairpin which contains a stem of six base pairs in the Z-DNA conformation. Both wild-type Z alpha and a C125S mutant show a mean dissociation constant of 30 nM as measured by surface plasmon resonance and analytical ultracentrifugation. Our data suggest that short (> or = 6 bp) segments of Z-DNA within a gene are able to recruit two ADAR1 enzymes to that particular site.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Apolipoprotein B messenger RNA editing: insights into the molecular regulation of post-transcriptional cytidine deamination.

A site-specific cytidine deamination (cytidine to uridine) in nuclear apolipoprotein B messenger RNA creates a translational stop codon that produces apolipoprotein B48. This process is mediated by an enzyme composed of distinct subunits, including apolipoprotein B messenger RNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-1 and additional complementation factors. The apolipoprotein B messenger RNA editing enzyme catalytic polypeptide-1 is expressed ubiquitously in the rat, but is largely confined to the small intestine in humans and rabbits. By contrast, complementation activity is present in tissues that neither express nor edit apolipoprotein B messenger RNA.

APOBEC-1 Deaminase↗

Increased RNA editing and inhibition of hepatitis delta virus replication by high-level expression of ADAR1 and ADAR2.

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is a subviral human pathogen that uses specific RNA editing activity of the host to produce two essential forms of the sole viral protein, hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg). Editing at the amber/W site of HDV antigenomic RNA leads to the production of the longer form (HDAg-L), which is required for RNA packaging but which is a potent trans-dominant inhibitor of HDV RNA replication. Editing in infected cells is thought to be catalyzed by one or more of the cellular enzymes known as adenosine deaminases that act on RNA (ADARs). We examined the effects of increased ADAR1 and ADAR2 expression on HDV RNA editing and replication in transfected Huh7 cells. We found that both ADARs dramatically increased RNA editing, which was correlated with strong inhibition of HDV RNA replication. While increased HDAg-L production was the primary mechanism of inhibition, we observed at least two additional means by which ADARs can suppress HDV replication. High-level expression of both ADAR1 and ADAR2 led to extensive hyperediting at non-amber/W sites and subsequent production of HDAg variants that acted as trans-dominant inhibitors of HDV RNA replication. Moreover, we also observed weak inhibition of HDV RNA replication by mutated forms of ADARs defective for deaminase activity. Our results indicate that HDV requires highly regulated and selective editing and that the level of ADAR expression can play an important role: overexpression of ADARs inhibits HDV RNA replication and compromises virus viability.

Adenosine Deaminase↗

Universality of mitochondrial RNA editing in cytochrome-c oxidase subunit I (coxI) among the land plants.

Plant mitochondrial pre-mRNAs often undergo C-to-U conversions, a phenomenon termed RNA editing. The molecular source of specificity and phylogenetic depth of the editing machinery remain to be determined. We amplified coxI gene fragments via the polymerase chain reaction from a diversity of taxa within the land plants, and sequenced each. Alignment and comparison of 25 homologous coxI gene sequences with those from plant species having known RNA editing sites which restore amino acid sequence consensus was used to infer sites of C-to-U conversions. Our results, derived using the comparative approach, imply that the plant mitochondrial editing machinery extends throughout vascular plant phylogeny, and also that this phenomenon is present in every major branch of the (non-vascular) Bryophyta: liverworts (Hepaticae), hornworts (Anthocerotae), and mosses (Musci). These results have important consequences for our thoughts on the evolutionary history of the plant RNA editing process, as they imply that editing is older than was previously believed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

RNA editing of apolipoprotein B mRNA. Sequence specificity determined by in vitro coupled transcription editing.

Apolipoprotein (apo) B-48 mRNA is produced by in vivo RNA editing which involves a C----U conversion of the first base of the codon CAA for Gln-2153, changing it to UAA, an in-frame stop codon. We have reproduced the editing reaction in vitro using nuclear extracts. Efficient RNA editing was demonstrated by using apoB mRNA segments as substrate or in a coupled transcription-editing reaction using apoB minigenes as template. ApoB minigenes were constructed by ligating the adenovirus major late promoter to a fragment of apoB-100 DNA containing the editing site and used for the transcription-editing reaction. We defined the sequence specificity of the editing reaction using site-specific single and multiple base mutants constructed by the polymerase chain reaction. Among 22 different mutant apoB-100 minigene constructs containing mutations in the bases immediately flanking the edited C-6666, 20 were edited in the coupled transcription-editing reaction. The results suggest a relatively lax sequence specificity for apoB mRNA editing. Our observation may have important implications for apoB-48 biogenesis as well as for the editing process as a general biologic regulatory mechanism.

Animals↗

Structural basis for UTP specificity of RNA editing TUTases from Trypanosoma brucei.

Trypanosomatids are pathogenic protozoa that undergo a unique form of post-transcriptional RNA editing that inserts or deletes uridine nucleotides in many mitochondrial pre-mRNAs. Editing is catalyzed by a large multiprotein complex, the editosome. A key editosome enzyme, RNA editing terminal uridylyl transferase 2 (TUTase 2; RET2) catalyzes the uridylate addition reaction. Here, we report the 1.8 A crystal structure of the Trypanosoma brucei RET2 apoenzyme and its complexes with uridine nucleotides. This structure reveals that the specificity of the TUTase for UTP is determined by a crucial water molecule that is exquisitely positioned by the conserved carboxylates D421 and E424 to sense a hydrogen atom on the N3 position of the uridine base. The three-domain structure also unveils a unique domain arrangement not seen before in the nucleotidyltansferase superfamily, with a large domain insertion between the catalytic aspartates. This insertion is present in all trypanosomatid TUTases. We also show that TbRET2 is essential for survival of the bloodstream form of the parasite and therefore is a potential target for drug therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗