Naturally occurring RNA always contains numerous biochemically altered nucleotides. They are formed by enzymatic modification of the primary transcripts during the complex RNA maturation process designated RNA modification. A large number of enzymes catalyzing the formation of these modified nucleosides or converting one canonical base into another at the posttranscriptional level have been studied for many years, but only recently have systematic and comparative studies begun. The functions of individual enzymes and/or the modified/edited nucleosides in RNA, however, have remained largely ignored.
This book provides advance information on RNA modification, including the associated editing machinery, while offering the reader some perspective on the significance of such modifications in fine-tuning the structure and functions of mature RNA molecules and hence the ability to influence the efficiency and accuracy of genetic expression. Outstanding scientists who are actively working on RNA modification/editing processes have provided up-to-date information on these intriguing cellular processes that have been generated over the course of millions of years in all living organisms. Each review has been written and illustrated for a large audience of readers, not only specialists in the field, but also for advanced students or researchers who want to learn more about recent progress in RNA modification and editing.
http://www.amazon.com/Fine-Tuning-Functions-Modification-Editing-Genetics/dp/3540244956/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207895995&sr=1-4Latest discoveries in RNA and DNA editing research, with expert forecasts of the field's future directions
RNA and DNA Editing assembles a team of leading experts who present the latestdiscoveries in the field alongside the latest models and methodology. In addition,the authors set forth the many open questions and suggest routes for further investigation. Overall, the book serves as a practical guide for professionals in the field who need to understand the interrelationship of RNA and DNA editing with other chemical and biological processes.
This book is divided into four sections, providing a clear, contextual map of the field:
Diversification of the Proteome through RNA and DNA Editing discusses the occurrence of editing sites within transcriptomes and their distribution within individual RNAs in order to explore why nucleic acid sequences are edited instead of encoded genomically
Functional Coordination of RNA Editing with Other Cellular Mechanisms brings to the forefront why RNA and DNA editing is essential for cell survival and adaptation
Predictive Studies underscores the power of computational approaches in identifying novel editing sites and predicting the biological consequences of editing at these sites
Structural Approaches presents comparative structural analyses that suggest conserved protein folds and implicate, in some instances, their ancient phylogenic origins as components of editing machinery
This book not only discusses the current state of research in depth, it also gives new contributors an opportunity to express their vision. The perspectives voiced by these authors are provocative and intended to motivate discussion and inspire new experiments. Finally, this book will promote new hypotheses and models that can serve as springboards for the next generation of discoveries in the field.
About the Author
Harold C. Smith, PhD, is Professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at the University of Rochester and the founder and Chief Scientific Officerof OyaGen, a biotech company that develops drugs that target editing enzymes. Dr. Smith organized the first Gordon Research Conference on RNA Editing in 1997 and holds four patents.
http://www.amazon.com/RNA-DNA-Editing-Mechanisms-Integration/dp/0470109912/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207895995&sr=1-3
