# Profiling and Dissecting the Dynamic Regulation of RNA Editing

> **NIH NIH R01** · STANFORD UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $294,570

## Abstract

The remarkably prevalent RNA editing and modifications (which constitute the epitranscriptome)
contribute to transcriptome diversity and flexibility. One of the most common types is adenosine-to-
inosine (A-to-I), catalyzed by the adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) family of enzymes.
ADAR binds to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and deaminates specific adenosine to inosine, which is
read as guanosine by the cellular machinery. Loss of ADAR leads to a range of neurological
phenotypes as demonstrated in model organisms. Alteration of RNA editing levels is associated with a
number of neurological disorders. The regulation of RNA editing is very dynamic, varying in different
tissues and at different developmental stages. While our previous work funded by this grant led to an
unprecedented view of dynamic regulation at the tissue level, the measurements represent an
average of many cells with widely variable or largely equal editing levels. We lack a good
understanding of how much RNA editing varies between different cell types or even single cells.
Particularly in the brain, where neurons are highly plastic and many cell types exist, RNA editing may
play a role in fine-tuning mRNA messages that modulate brain function and neuronal connectivity
throughout life. In this work, we aim to understand the dynamic regulation of RNA editing at an
unprecedented depth. First, we will profile RNA editing in different neuronal cell types in flies, mice,
and humans. We will also examine the changes of editing during developmental stages and in
response to environmental stimuli in model organisms. Second, we will assign functions of RNA
editing in different neural circuits in Drosophila using a highly automated and sensitive phenotypic
assay. Finally, to mechanistically dissect the dynamic regulation, we will identify and validate
additional RNA editing regulators and determine the mechanisms by which these regulators influence
editing in Drosophila and mammals. This work will provide a deeper understanding of the dynamic
regulation of A-to-I RNA editing in different neuronal cell types and shed light on the role of RNA
editing in brain function.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10009374
- **Project number:** 5R01GM102484-08
- **Recipient organization:** STANFORD UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jin Billy Li
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $294,570
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2013-05-06 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10009374

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10009374, Profiling and Dissecting the Dynamic Regulation of RNA Editing (5R01GM102484-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10009374. Licensed CC0.

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