RNA editing, in which an RNA sequence is altered by a complex of proteins and a "guide RNA", could also be considered an RNA-to-RNA transfer.

Herein lies the only known function of the minicircles - producing guide RNA (gRNA) to decode this encrypted maxicircle information, typically through the insertion or deletion of uridine residues.

Pan-editing starts with the base-pairing of the unedited primary transcript with a guide RNA (gRNA), which contains complementary sequences to the regions around the insertion/deletion points.

The mechanism of the editosome involves an endonucleolytic cut at the mismatch point between the guide RNA and the unedited transcript.

The complex can act on only a single guide RNA at a time.

Therefore, a RNA transcript requiring extensive editing will need more than one guide RNA and editosome complex.

It is an unusual guide RNA in that it its composed of both H/ACA box and a C/D box conserved domains.

It is known as a small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) and also often referred to as a guide RNA.

It is known as a small nucleolar RNA (snoRNA) and also often referred to as a 'guide RNA' as it 'guides' the modification process.

The insertions and deletions are mediated by short guide RNA (gRNAs) which encode the editing information in the form of complementary sequences (allowing GU as well as GC base pairs).