Validation of the APOBEC3A-Mediated RNA Single Base Substitution Signature and Proposal of Novel APOBEC1, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3G RNA Signatures

Abstract

Mutational signature analysis gained significant attention for providing critical insights into the underlying mutational processes for various DNA single base substitution (SBS) signatures and their associations with different cancer types. Recently, RNA single base substitution (RNA-SBS) signatures were defined and described by decomposing RNA variants found in non-small cell lung cancer. Through statistical association, they attributed Apolipoprotein B mRNA Editing Enzyme, Catalytic Polypeptide 3A (APOBEC3A) mutagenesis to the RNA-SBS2 signature. Here, we provide the first validation of an RNA-SBS mutational signature by decomposing novel exogenous and endogenous APOBEC3A RNA editing signatures into COSMICv3.4 RNA-SBS reference signatures. Additionally, we have identified novel RNA-SBS signatures for APOBEC1, APOBEC3B, and APOBEC3G.

Keywords: APOBEC1; APOBEC3A; APOBEC3B; APOBEC3G; Mutational Signatures; RNA Editing.