M6A RNA methylation facilitates pre-mRNA 3'-end formation and is essential for viability of Toxoplasma gondii.

ABSTRACT: Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that can cause serious opportunistic disease in the immunocompromised or through congenital infection. To progress through its life cycle, Toxoplasma relies on multiple layers of gene regulation that includes an array of transcription and epigenetic factors. Over the last decade, the modification of mRNA has emerged as another important layer of gene regulation called epitranscriptomics. Here, we report that epitranscriptomics machinery exists in Toxoplasma, namely the methylation of adenosines (m6A) in mRNA transcripts. We identified novel components of the m6A methyltransferase complex and determined the distribution of m6A marks within the parasite transcriptome. m6A mapping revealed the modification to be preferentially located ne

SUBMITTER: Holmes MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8354455 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature