“The objective of this CTMI volume is to provide readers with a foundation for understanding what ADARs are and how they act to affect gene expression and function. It is becoming increasingly apparent that ADARs may possess roles not only as enzymes that deaminate adenosine to produce inosine in RNA substrates with double-stranded character, but also as proteins independent of their catalytic property. Because A-to-I editing may affect base-pairing and RNA structure, processes including translation, splicing, RNA replication, and miR and siRNA silencing may be affected. Future studies of ADARs no doubt will provide us with additional surprises and new insights into the modulation of biological processes by the ADAR family of proteins.”

Genome editing is a powerful new tool for making precise alterations to an organism's genetic material. Recent scientific advances have made genome editing more efficient, precise, and flexible than ever before. These advances have spurred an explosion of interest from around the globe in the possible ways in which genome editing can improve human health. The speed at which these technologies are being developed and applied has led many policymakers and stakeholders to express concern about whether appropriate systems are in place to govern these technologies and how and when the public should be engaged in these decisions. Human Genome Editing considers important questions about the human application of genome editing including: balancing potential benefits with unintended risks, governing the use of genome editing, incorporating societal values into clinical applications and policy decisions, and respecting the inevitable differences across nations and cultures that will shape how and whether to use these new technologies. This report proposes criteria for heritable germline editing, provides conclusions on the crucial need for public education and engagement, and presents 7 general principles for the governance of human genome editing.

This volume provides an overview about main RNA editing mechanisms, focusing on their functions in physiological as well as pathological conditions. Chapters guide readers through state- of-the art methodologies to investigate RNA editing through wet and dry approaches. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, RNA Editing: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

RNA Editing devotes a chapter to each of the major types of this form of RNA processing. Each chapter is written by a leader in the field and offers fundamental principles, as well as up to date information on recent advances. Numerous examples of RNAs known to be edited are provided throughout the volume, but most importantly, the book highlights the amazing mechanistic diversity found among the various types of RNA editing. RNAs are cleaved, ligated, and deaminated on their way to maturation, and in some cases, their sequence is even altered in the brief moment when RNA polymerase stalls. The chemical reactions that allow RNA editing, and the RNA and proteins that direct the process are all described and will be of interest to students and established researchers in the field as well as those scientists from other disciplines who come across examples of RNA editing.

Heritable human genome editing - making changes to the genetic material of eggs, sperm, or any cells that lead to their development, including the cells of early embryos, and establishing a pregnancy - raises not only scientific and medical considerations but also a host of ethical, moral, and societal issues. Human embryos whose genomes have been edited should not be used to create a pregnancy until it is established that precise genomic changes can be made reliably and without introducing undesired changes - criteria that have not yet been met, says Heritable Human Genome Editing. From an international commission of the U.S. National Academy of Medicine, U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the U.K.'s Royal Society, the report considers potential benefits, harms, and uncertainties associated with genome editing technologies and defines a translational pathway from rigorous preclinical research to initial clinical uses, should a country decide to permit such uses. The report specifies stringent preclinical and clinical requirements for establishing safety and efficacy, and for undertaking long-term monitoring of outcomes. Extensive national and international dialogue is needed before any country decides whether to permit clinical use of this technology, according to the report, which identifies essential elements of national and international scientific governance and oversight.

Plants are vulnerable to pathogens including fungi, bacteria, and viruses, which cause critical problems and deficits. Crop protection by plant breeding delivers a promising solution with no obvious effect on human health or the local ecosystem. Crop improvement has been the most powerful approach for producing unique crop cultivars since domestication occurred, making possible the main innovations in feeding the globe and community development. Genome editing is one of the genetic devices that can be implemented, and disease resistance is frequently cited as the most encouraging application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in agriculture. Nanobiotechnology has harnessed the power of genome editing to develop agricultural crops. Nanosized DNA or RNA nanotechnology approaches could contribute to raising the stability and performance of CRISPR guide RNAs. This book brings together the latest research in these areas. CRISPR and RNAi Systems: Nanobiotechnology Approaches to Plant Breeding and Protection presents a complete understanding of the RNAi and CRISPR/Cas9 techniques for controlling mycotoxins, fighting plant nematodes, and detecting plant pathogens. CRISPR/Cas genome editing enables efficient targeted modification in most crops, thus promising to accelerate crop improvement. CRISPR/Cas9 can be used for management of plant insects, and various plant pathogens. The book is an important reference source for both plant scientists and environmental scientists who want to understand how nano biotechnologically based approaches are being used to create more efficient plant protection and plant breeding systems. - Shows how nanotechnology is being used as the basis for new solutions for more efficient plant breeding and plant protection - Outlines the major techniques and applications of both CRISPR and RNAi technologies - Assesses the major challenges of escalating these technologies on a mass scale