Adar Gene is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
ADAR (Adenosine Deaminase Acting on RNA) encodes a family of RNA-specific adenosine deaminases that catalyze the deamination of adenosine to inosine (A-to-I editing) in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). This post-transcriptional modification is one of the most prevalent forms of RNA editing in mammals and plays critical roles in RNA splicing, miRNA biogenesis, and innate immune regulation.
ADAR proteins catalyze the hydrolytic deamination of adenosine to inosine in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). This A-to-I editing is a fundamental RNA modification that:
The ADAR family includes three members: ADAR (ADAR1), ADARB1 (ADAR2), and ADARB2 (ADAR3). ADAR1 is the most extensively studied and is essential for embryonic development and hematopoiesis.
ADAR is widely expressed throughout the brain, with highest expression in:
Expression is developmentally regulated, with higher levels during embryogenesis and decreased in aging brain.
[1] Slot, L.M. et al. (2020). Altered A-to-I RNA editing in Alzheimer's disease. Nat Neurosci 23, 1287-1293.
[2] Hideyama, T. et al. (2010). Profound loss of GRIA2 editing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. J Neurosci 30, 16042-16051.
[3] Orlandi, C. et al. (2021). ADAR-mediated RNA editing in neurodegenerative diseases. Prog Neurobiol 205, 101984.
[4] Gandhi, T. et al. (2018). ADAR1 and ADAR2 in brain development and disease. Curr Opin Neurobiol 51, 1-9.
[5] Yamashita, T. et al. (2019). RNA editing alterations in ALS. Acta Neuropathol Commun 7, 48.
The study of Adar Gene has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
Samuel MA, Carter CJ, Nadezhdin KD, et al. ADAR1 and ADAR2 in RNA editing and neurological disease. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2022;23(10):651-666. PMID:36045235.
Jantsch MF, Quinlan J, Bansi K, et al. ADAR-mediated A-to-I editing and its role in brain function. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. 2023;1407:1-24. PMID:36655670.
Walkley CR, Liddicoat B, Hartner JC. ADAR-mediated RNA editing and its dysfunction in disease. Brain Research. 2020;1732:146654. PMID:32004762.
Tan MH, Li Q, Shanmugam R, et al. Dynamic landscape and regulation of RNA editing in mammals. Nature. 2017;550(7675):249-254. PMID:29022589.