Construction of a guide-RNA for site-directed RNA mutagenesis utilising intracellular A-to-I RNA editing

Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 2:7:41478. doi: 10.1038/srep41478.

Abstract

As an alternative to DNA mutagenesis, RNA mutagenesis can potentially become a powerful gene-regulation method for fundamental research and applied life sciences. Adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing alters genetic information at the transcript level and is an important biological process that is commonly conserved in metazoans. Therefore, a versatile RNA-mutagenesis method can be achieved by utilising the intracellular RNA-editing mechanism. Here, we report novel guide RNAs capable of inducing A-to-I mutations by guiding the editing enzyme, human adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR). These guide RNAs successfully introduced A-to-I mutations into the target-site, which was determined by the reprogrammable antisense region. In ADAR2-over expressing cells, site-directed RNA editing could also be performed by simply introducing the guide RNA. Our guide RNA framework provides basic insights into establishing a generally applicable RNA-mutagenesis method.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine / metabolism*
  • Adenosine Deaminase / chemistry
  • Adenosine Deaminase / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Codon / genetics
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inosine / metabolism*
  • Intracellular Space / metabolism*
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed*
  • Protein Domains
  • RNA Editing / genetics*
  • RNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / chemistry
  • RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Codon
  • RNA-Binding Proteins
  • Inosine
  • ADARB1 protein, human
  • Adenosine Deaminase
  • Adenosine