RNA and DNA Editing: Molecular Mechanisms and Their Integration into Biological Systems

Latest 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

RNA Editing (Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology) (Nucleic Acids and Molecular Biology)

The term 'RNA editing' describes a diverse set of biochemical processes whereby genetic information is modulated on a post-transcriptional level i.e. on the level of ribonucleic acids (RNA). RNA editing has been demonstrated in viruses, protozoan organisms, in plants and in mammals and in many cases it has been identified as a key step in the regulation of gene expression. This book dedicates a chapter to each of the main types of RNA editing. All sections are written by experts in the various research areas and a specific focus is put on the correlation between RNA structure and function, as well as on the complex cellular machineries that catalyze the different editing reactions. This leads to a state of the art compendium of our current knowledge on RNA editing.




http://www.amazon.com/Editing-Nucleic-Acids-Molecular-Biology/dp/3540737863/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207895995&sr=1-2

RNA Editing

RNA processing plays a critical role in realizing the full potential of a given genome. One means of achieving protein diversity is through RNA editing. A diverse array of editing events has been characterized, affecting gene expression in organisms from viruses and single cell parasites to humans and plants. The variety of editing mechanisms has required the development of many different experimental approaches, many of which are likely to be broadly applicable, particularly given the interplay between editing and other cellular processes, including transcription, splicing, and RNA silencing. This volume not only covers most of the principal methods employed in the field, but also offers innovative solutions to the significant challenges posed by these experimental systems.

* Presents newly developed methods
* Covers topics ranging from biochemistry to bioinformatics
* Includes innovative solutions to potential problems

http://www.amazon.com/RNA-Editing-424-Methods-Enzymology/dp/0123739225/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1207895995&sr=1-1

DNA-RNA-Protein

DNA carries the genetic information of a cell and consists of thousands of genes. Each gene serves as a recipe on how to build a protein molecule. Proteins perform important tasks for the cell functions or serve as building blocks. The flow of information from the genes determines the protein composition and thereby the functions of the cell.

The DNA is situated in the nucleus, organized into chromosomes. Every cell must contain the genetic information and the DNA is therefore duplicated before a cell divides (replication). When proteins are needed, the corresponding genes are transcribed into RNA (transcription). The RNA is first processed so that non-coding parts are removed (processing) and is then transported out of the nucleus (transport). Outside the nucleus, the proteins are built based upon the code in the RNA (translation).

http://nobelprize.org/educational_games/medicine/dna/index.html

RNA

Ribonucleic acid or RNA is a nucleic acid made from a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate. RNA is very similar to DNA, but differs in a few important structural details: in the cell RNA is usually single stranded, while DNA is usually double stranded. RNA nucleotides contain ribose while DNA contains deoxyribose (a type of ribose that lacks one oxygen atom), and in RNA the nucleotide uracil substitutes for thymine, which is present in DNA.

RNA is transcribed from DNA by enzymes called RNA polymerases and is generally further processed by other enzymes. Some of these RNA-processing enzymes contain RNA as part of their structures. RNA is also central to the translation of some RNAs into proteins. In this process, a type of RNA called messenger RNA carries information from DNA to structures called ribosomes. These ribosomes are made from proteins and ribosomal RNAs, which come together to form a molecular machine that can read messenger RNAs and translate the information they carry into proteins. It has also been known since the 1990s that several types of RNA regulate which genes are active.

A hairpin loop from a pre-mRNA. Notice its nitrogen-rich (blue) bases and oxygen-rich (red) backbone.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNA