Mammalian RNA-dependent deaminases and edited mRNAs.

The past year has witnessed major progress in the field of mammalian nuclear RNA editing. Two new sequence-related RNA-dependent adenosine deaminases, distantly related to the previously characterized double-stranded RNA adenosine deaminase DRADA/dsRAD, have been molecularly characterized. One of these deaminases edits in vitro with precision for the molecular determinant that controls the Ca2+ permeability of fast synaptic glutamate-gated cation channels. This deaminase, like DRADA, is expressed in many tissues and the search is now on for more substrates of these RNA-editing enzymes. Moreover, the physiological role of the apolipoprotein B RNA editing enzyme APOBEC-1 has been investigated in genetically manipulated mice.