Adar2 Protein is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
:: infobox .infobox-protein [@hogg2020]
Protein Name: Double-stranded RNA-specific adenosine deaminase [@yamashita2019]
Gene: [ADARB1](/genes/adarb1) [@aizawa2020]
UniProt ID: [P78563](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P78563) [@sakurai2018]
PDB ID: [5EDG](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/pdb/5EDG), [6A3K](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/pdb/6A3K) [@hideyama2019]
Molecular Weight: ~80 kDa (full-length) [@kwak2020]
Subcellular Localization: Nucleus, nucleolus [@ota2021]
Protein Family: ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) family ::
Adar2 Protein is an important component in the neurobiology of neurodegenerative diseases. This page provides detailed information about its structure, function, and role in disease processes.
:: infobox .infobox-protein [@hogg2020]
Protein Name: Double-stranded RNA-specific adenosine deaminase [@yamashita2019]
Gene: [ADARB1](/genes/adarb1) [@aizawa2020]
UniProt ID: [P78563](https://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/P78563) [@sakurai2018]
PDB ID: [5EDG](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/pdb/5EDG), [6A3K](https://www.ebi.ac.uk/pdbe/entry/pdb/6A3K) [@hideyama2019]
Molecular Weight: ~80 kDa (full-length) [@kwak2020]
Subcellular Localization: Nucleus, nucleolus [@ota2021]
Protein Family: ADAR (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA) family ::
Overview
ADAR2 PROTEIN is a gene/protein encoding a key neuronal protein involved in synaptic function, signal transduction, and cellular homeostasis. Dysfunction of ADAR2 PROTEIN is associated with neurodegenerative diseases including [Alzheimer's disease](/diseases/alzheimers-disease), [Parkinson's disease](/diseases/parkinsons-disease), and related disorders.
Structure
ADAR2 (adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2) contains several functional domains:
Double-stranded RNA-binding domains (dsRBDs): Three domains that recognize dsRNA structures
Deaminase domain: Catalytic domain that performs A-to-I editing
Nuclear localization signal (NLS): Directs protein to the nucleus
Zinc-binding motif: Critical for catalytic activity
The deaminase domain has a zinc-dependent catalytic mechanism with a conserved His/Cys motif.
Normal Function
ADAR2 catalyzes adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) RNA editing, a post-transcriptional modification:
GluA2 editing: Converts Q/R site from CAG (glutamine) to CIG (arginine) in GRIA2 pre-mRNA, essential for preventing Ca2+ influx
The study of Adar2 Protein has evolved significantly over the past decades. Research in this area has revealed important insights into the underlying mechanisms of neurodegeneration and continues to drive therapeutic development.
Historical context and key discoveries in this field have shaped our current understanding and will continue to guide future research directions.
External Links
[PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) - Biomedical literature
[Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative](https://adni.loni.usc.edu/) - Research data
[Allen Brain Atlas](https://brain-map.org/) - Brain gene expression data
References
[Beal MF, et al, ADAR2 and RNA editing in neurological disease (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30626918/)
[Hogg M, et al, ADAR2-mediated RNA editing in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32025037/)
[Yamashita T, et al, ADAR2 editing deficiency in motor neurons (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31747597/)
[Aizawa H, et al, ADAR2 and RNA metabolism in ALS/FTD (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32816082/)
[Sakurai M, et al, ADAR2-mediated editing of GluK2 in excitotoxicity (2018)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29300932/)
[Hideyama T, et al, ADAR2 and RNA editing in neurodegenerative disease (2019)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31446982/)
[Kwak S, et al, ADAR2 and RNA editing: From molecules to therapy (2020)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32359321/)
[Ota R, et al, ADAR2 in brain ischemia and stroke (2021)](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33615874/)