RNA-seq analysis of E. coli expressing synthetic editing factors

Targeted cytidine to uridine RNA editing is a widespread phenomenon throughout the land plant lineage. Members of the pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) protein family act as the specificity factors in this process. The huge expansion of the PPR superfamily in land plants provides the sequence variation required for design of novel consensus-based RNA-binding proteins. We used this approach to construct a synthetic RNA editing factor designed to target a specific site. This study serves as a successful pilot into the design and application of programmable RNA editing factors based on plant PPR proteins.