Zebrafish Adar2 Edits the Q/R site of AMPA receptor Subunit gria2α transcript to ensure normal development of nervous system and cranial neural crest cells.

Background: Adar2 deaminates selective adenosines to inosines (A-to-I RNA editing) in the double-stranded region of nuclear transcripts. Although the functions of mouse Adar2 and its biologically most important substrate gria2, encoding the GluA2 subunit of AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid) receptor, have been extensively studied, the substrates and functions of zebrafish Adar2 remain elusive.

Methods/principal Findings: Expression of Adar2 was perturbed in the adar2 morphant (adar2MO), generated by antisense morpholio oligonucleotides.