Characterization of the apolipoprotein B mRNA editing activity in enterocyte extracts.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) circulates in human plasma as two isoforms, apoB-100 (512 kDa) and apoB-48 (242 kDa). ApoB-48 is generated by a novel RNA editing mechanism which post-transcriptionally modifies apoB mRNA in the intestine by converting cytidine at nucleotide 6666 to uridine. This converts codon 2153 from glutamine (CAA) to a premature stop codon (UAA). To characterize the activity which edits apoB mRNA, extracts were prepared from enterocytes isolated from baboon small intestine. These extracts efficiently edit synthetic apoB RNA in vitro. Editing was detected by primer extension, and the specificity of the reaction was confirmed by DNA sequencing. Extracts prepared from other baboon tissues did not edit apoB RNA in vitro. The editing activity was partially purified by chromatography of the enterocyte extracts on DEAE-cellulose. The activity is sensitive to proteinase K but resistant to micrococcal nuclease and has an average molecular mass of 125 kDa when analyzed by gel filtration chromatography.