RNA编辑是指转录后成熟的RNA分子的修饰和加工,使得RNA所携带的遗传信息发生改变的过程。迄今为止,在真核生物的tRNA、rRNA和mRNA中都发现了RNA编辑的现象。RNA编辑有核苷的插入或删除编辑和碱基替换编辑两种类型。这种改变影响了基因的表达,生成不同的氨基酸和新的开放读码框。编辑可在多种水平被调节,且与人类疾病有一定的相关性。
RNA-editing is a post-transcriptional process that changes the informational capacity within the RNA. To date such changes have been observed in tRNA, rRNA and mRNA molecules of eukaryotes. These processes include alterations made by nucleotide deletion, insertion and base conversion. Such changes have marked effects on gene expression, ranging from defined amino acid changes to the de novo creation of entire open reading frames. Editing can be regulated in a developmental or tissue-specific manner, and is likely to play a role in the etiology of human disease,