Mechanisms of and Solutions for Diseases Caused by Toxic RNA
A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 26995
Special Issue Editor
Interests: RNA–protein interaction; neurodegeneration; CAG repeat expansion; translation initiation; splicing
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
RNA is an important molecule that plays an essential role in both healthy tissue and disease development. Besides coding for proteins, RNA molecules have a diverse range of regulatory functions, including non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression via RNA interference, ribosomal RNAs, tRNAs, and RNAs that regulate splicing. An RNA’s function depends on the correct three-dimensional structure of the RNA molecule, since interaction partners, such as RNA-binding proteins, recognize specific structural motifs.
Abnormal folding of an RNA, for example due to genetic mutation, can be associated with disease development. For example, expansion mutations of repetitive sequences, such as CAG repeats, lead to an aberrant hairpin structure in the mutant RNA molecule that is not present in the normal RNA. This aberrant hairpin structure can then recruit RNA-binding proteins, which can lead to both the mutant RNA and the RNA-binding proteins having abnormal activity as well as a loss of physiological function of the RNA-binding proteins. In this way, RNA can deregulate a diverse range of cellular pathways and, thus, be toxic. However, the question remains: what are the precise molecular mechanisms underlying RNA-mediated toxicity? Additionally, how can we target toxic RNA species in therapeutic approaches?
These questions are currently under investigation.
The focus of this Special Issue of Toxins will be on molecular mechanisms underlying diseases that are caused by toxic RNA as well as approaches to combating RNA-mediated toxicity.
Prof. Dr. Sybille Krauß
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- RNA
- three-dimensional structure
- RNA-mediated toxicity
- RNA–protein interaction
- RNA-targeting compounds
- RNA silencing
