Comprehensive analysis of RNA-Seq data reveals extensive RNA editing in a human transcriptome

Z Peng, Y Cheng, BCM Tan, L Kang, Z Tian… - Nature …, 2012 - nature.com
Z Peng, Y Cheng, BCM Tan, L Kang, Z Tian, Y Zhu, W Zhang, Y Liang, X Hu, X Tan, J Guo…
Nature biotechnology, 2012nature.com
RNA editing is a post-transcriptional event that recodes hereditary information. Here we
describe a comprehensive profile of the RNA editome of a male Han Chinese individual
based on analysis of∼ 767 million sequencing reads from poly (A)+, poly (A)− and small
RNA samples. We developed a computational pipeline that carefully controls for false
positives while calling RNA editing events from genome and whole-transcriptome data of the
same individual. We identified 22,688 RNA editing events in noncoding genes and introns …
Abstract
RNA editing is a post-transcriptional event that recodes hereditary information. Here we describe a comprehensive profile of the RNA editome of a male Han Chinese individual based on analysis of∼ 767 million sequencing reads from poly (A)+, poly (A)− and small RNA samples. We developed a computational pipeline that carefully controls for false positives while calling RNA editing events from genome and whole-transcriptome data of the same individual. We identified 22,688 RNA editing events in noncoding genes and introns, untranslated regions and coding sequences of protein-coding genes. Most changes (∼ 93%) converted A to I (G), consistent with known editing mechanisms based on adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR). We also found evidence of other types of nucleotide changes; however, these were validated at lower rates. We found 44 editing sites in microRNAs (miRNAs), suggesting a potential link between RNA editing and miRNA-mediated regulation. Our approach facilitates large-scale studies to profile and compare editomes across a wide range of samples.
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