Linking class-switch recombination with somatic hypermutation

Abstract

The recent discovery of a molecular link between two apparently different genetic alteration events--class-switch recombination and somatic hypermutation--has led to the idea that the recognition and cleavage of target DNA in these two events might be mediated by similar or identical molecules to those involved in RNA editing. This could mean that the complexity of mammalian genetic information may be enriched by an interplay between RNA editing and DNA modification.