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Published on: March 10, 2020
Regulation of alternative splicing by RNA editing
S M Rueter1, T R Dawson, R B Emeson
1Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-6600, USA.
Nature
|May 20, 1999
Summary
The enzyme ADAR2 regulates its own expression by editing its pre-mRNA. This RNA editing process controls alternative splicing, influencing messenger RNA production.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- RNA Biology
Background:
- ADAR2 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2) is crucial for RNA editing in mammals.
- RNA editing converts adenosine to inosine in messenger RNAs.
- Alternative splicing generates diverse mRNA transcripts from a single gene.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of ADAR2 in regulating its own gene expression.
- To identify alternative splicing events in rat ADAR2 mRNA.
- To explore the interplay between RNA editing and alternative splicing.
Main Methods:
- Nucleotide sequence analysis of ADAR2 genomic DNA.
- Identification of alternative splicing variants in ADAR2 mRNA.
- Analysis of RNA editing events in ADAR2 pre-mRNA.
Main Results:
- Two distinct alternative splicing events were identified in rat ADAR2 mRNAs.
- A proximal 3' splice acceptor site usage leads to a 47-nucleotide insertion.
- ADAR2 edits its own pre-mRNA, converting intronic AA to AI, mimicking AG splice sites.
Conclusions:
- RNA editing by ADAR2 directly regulates alternative splicing of its own pre-mRNA.
- This mechanism allows ADAR2 to modulate its own expression levels.
- ADAR2 employs a novel auto-regulatory strategy involving RNA editing and splicing.
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