RNA Editing
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2020) | Viewed by 9355
Special Issue Editor
Interests: RNA splicing; RNA editing; RNA modification; lncRNA; genetic code restoration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
RNA editing is a physiological process during which RNA nucleobases are excised, inserted, or post-transcriptionally modified, resulting in changes in the genetic code and expansion of the coding capacity of the genome. RNA editing was first observed in Trypanosoma as the deletion and insertion of nucleobases in RNA. Today, RNA editing is considered a universal phenomenon in higher eukaryotes. In mammalia, RNA editing is caused by nucleobase deamination, resulting in A-to-I and C-to-U conversions, and occurs in a wide range of tissues and is catalyzed by adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) and APOBEC (apolipoprotein B mRNA editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide) family enzymes. However, RNA editing is not limited to only these two types, and U-to-C, U-to-A, and A-to-U conversions resulting from RNA editing are found in plant mitochondria and plastids. The editosome in plants comprises pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins, multiple organellar RNA editing factors (MORFs), and zinc finger proteins. Cytidine deaminase motifs for C-to-U conversion are found within the DYW domain of PPR proteins. Despite these advances, it is entirely possible that we have only scraped the surface and that many other enzymes catalyzing RNA editing still remain to be discovered.
Recently, RNA editing machineries have started to attract considerable attention because of their potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of genetic diseases. However, it is nearly impossible to perform genome editing in patients because RNA editing machineries cannot be delivered easily to trillions of cells while at the same time ensuring that they work correctly in the cells they were designed to treat. Even if the RNA editing machinery could be delivered to patient cells, mutated RNAs might be expressed. If it were possible to fix or restore mutated RNAs via artificial RNA editing, patient symptoms might be reduced. In this Special Issue, we would like to summarize the current state of knowledge on RNA editing, particularly with respect to its future clinical applications.
Prof. Toshifumi Tsukahara
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- deaminase
- guide RNA
- point mutation
- genetic code
- artificial enzyme
- editosome
- PPR proteins
- ADAR
- APOBEC
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
