Project description:We show that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal modification in mRNA/lncRNA with still poorly characterized function, alters RNA structure to facilitate the access of RBM for heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C). We term this mechanism m6A-switch. Through combining PAR-CLIP with Me-RIP, we identify 39,060 m6A-switches among hnRNP C binding sites transcriptome-wide. We show that m6A-methyltransferases METTL3 or METTL14 knockdown decreases hnRNP C binding at 16,582 m6A-switches. Taken together, 2,798 m6A-switches of high confidence are identified to mediate RNA-hnRNP C interactions and affect diverse biological processes including cell cycle regulation. These findings reveal the biological importance of m6A and provide insights into the sophisticated regulation of RNA-RBP interactions through m6A-induced RNA structural remodeling. Measure the m6A methylated hnRNP C binding sites transcriptome-wide by PARCLIP-MeRIP; measure the differential hnRNP C occupancies upon METTL3/METTL14 knockdown by PAR-CLIP; measure RNA abundance and splicing level changes upon HNRNPC, METTL3 and METTL14 knockdown
Project description:We show that N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant internal modification in mRNA/lncRNA with still poorly characterized function, alters RNA structure to facilitate the access of RBM for heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNP C). We term this mechanism m6A-switch. Through combining PAR-CLIP with Me-RIP, we identify 39,060 m6A-switches among hnRNP C binding sites transcriptome-wide. We show that m6A-methyltransferases METTL3 or METTL14 knockdown decreases hnRNP C binding at 16,582 m6A-switches. Taken together, 2,798 m6A-switches of high confidence are identified to mediate RNA-hnRNP C interactions and affect diverse biological processes including cell cycle regulation. These findings reveal the biological importance of m6A and provide insights into the sophisticated regulation of RNA-RBP interactions through m6A-induced RNA structural remodeling.
Project description:Cellular RNAs are covalently modified and these modifications can impact on all biological processes and hence are implicated in different types of diseases. Amongst RNA modifications, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most widespread and has been found on messenger (mRNA), ribosomal (rRNA), non-coding and spliceosomal RNAs. We undertook a systematic screen to uncover new RNA-methyltransferases. We demonstrate that the methyltransferase-like 5 protein (METTL5) is an 18S rRNA specific methyltransferase and interacts specifically with Trmt122.
Project description:N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and N6,2′-O‐dimethyladenosine (m6Am) are two abundant modifications found in mRNAs and ncRNAs that can regulate multiple aspects of RNA biology and function mainly through regulation of interaction with specific RNA-binding proteins. Both modifications are linked to development, disease and stress response. To date three methylases and two demethylases have been identified that modify adenosines in mammalian (m)RNAs. Here we provide a comprehensive study of the in vivo protein-protein interactome of the key methyltransferases and demethylases using the BioID proximity biotinylation approach, which allows capturing of stable and short-lived interactions. Our results show that METTL3, METTL16, CAPAM, FTO and ALKBH5 occupy specific non overlapping protein interacting territories. Moreover, the individual interactomes help to understand the biological functions of these enzymes
Project description:Oxaliplatin as a first-line drug frequently causes the chemo-resistance on colorectal cancer (CRC). N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation has been largely acknowledged in multiple biological functions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the m6A methylation in modulating anticancer drug resistance in CRC are still obscure. In present study, RIP-seq was conducted to investigate the occupancy of N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 3 (YTHDF3) served as “readers” that can recognize m6A modification site in HCT116 cells with oxaliplatin resistance (HCT116R). Then, YTHDF3 was knockdown by siRNA in HCT116 cells with oxaliplatin resistance, and RIP-seq was further conducted to investigate m6A methylation of HCT116, HCT116R and HCT116R cells with YTHDF3 knockdown.
Project description:N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a widespread internal RNA modification whose function is poorly understood. Here we report that m6A residues within the 5'UTR promote a novel form of cap-independent translation which is mediated through an interaction between m6A residues and the translation initiation factor, eIF3. We present eIF3a PAR-iCLIP data which demonstrate that eIF3 predominantly binds mRNAs within the 5'UTR. eIF3 binding sites are also in proximity to m6A residues within the 5'UTR of cellular mRNAs. Two replicates of eIF3a PAR-iCLIP in HEK293T cells.
Project description:The pioneer interactions between incoming viral RNA genomes and host proteins are crucial to infection and immune response. Until now, the ability to study these events was lacking. We developed VIR-CLASP (VIRal Cross-Linking And Solid-phase Purification) to characterize the earliest interactions between viral RNA and cellular proteins. We investigated the infection of human cells using Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and Influenza A virus and identified hundreds of direct RNA-protein interactions. Here, we validate the biological impact of three protein classes that bind CHIKV RNA within minutes of infection. We find CHIKV RNA binds and hijacks the lipid-modifying enzyme FASN for pro-viral activity. We show that CHIKV genomes are N6-methyladenosine modified and that YTHDF1 binds and suppresses its replication. Finally, we find that the innate immune DNA sensor IFI16 associates with CHIKV RNA, reducing viral replication and maturation. Our findings have direct applicability to the investigation of potentially all RNA viruses.
Project description:The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in almost all eukaryotic messenger RNAs, and is dynamically regulated. Therefore, identification of m6A readers is especially important in determining the cellular function of m6A. YTHDF2 has recently been characterized as the first m6A reader that regulates the cytoplasmic stability of methylated RNA. Here we show that YTHDC1 is a nuclear m6A reader and report the crystal structure of the YTH domain of YTHDC1 bound to m6A-containing RNA. We further determined the structure of another YTH domain, YTHDF1, and found that the YTH domain utilizes a conserved aromatic cage to specifically recognize the methyl group of m6A. Our structural characterizations of the YTHDC1-m6A RNA complex also shed light on the molecular basis for the preferential binding of the GG(m6A)C sequence by YTHDC1 and confirm the YTH domain as a specific m6A RNA reader. PAR-CLIP (Photoactivatable-Ribonucleoside-Enhanced Crosslinking and Immunoprecipitation) was applied to human YTHDC1 protein to identify its binding sites.
Project description:Visualizing the physical basis for molecular behavior inside living cells is a grand challenge in biology. RNAs are central to biological regulation, and RNA’s ability to adopt specific structures intimately controls every step of the gene expression program.1 However, our understanding of physiological RNA structures is limited; current in vivo RNA structure profiles predominantly viewed only two of four nucleotides that make up RNA.2,3 Here we present a novel biochemical approach, In Vivo Click SHAPE (icSHAPE), that enables the first global view of RNA secondary structures of all four bases in living cells. icSHAPE of embryonic stem cell transcriptome versus purified RNA folded in vitro shows that the structural dynamics of RNA in the cellular environment distinguishes different classes of RNAs and regulatory elements. Structural signatures at translational start sites and ribosome pause sites are conserved in vitro, suggesting that these RNA elements are programmed by sequence. In contrast, focal structural rearrangements in vivo reveal precise interfaces of RNA with RNA binding or modification proteins that are consistent with atomic-resolution structural data. Such dynamic structural footprints enable accurate prediction of RNA-protein interactions and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification genome-wide. These results open the door for structural genomics of RNA in living cells and reveal key physiological structures controlling gene expression.
Project description:Visualizing the physical basis for molecular behavior inside living cells is a grand challenge in biology. RNAs are central to biological regulation, and RNA’s ability to adopt specific structures intimately controls every step of the gene expression program.1 However, our understanding of physiological RNA structures is limited; current in vivo RNA structure profiles predominantly viewed only two of four nucleotides that make up RNA.2,3 Here we present a novel biochemical approach, In Vivo Click SHAPE (icSHAPE), that enables the first global view of RNA secondary structures of all four bases in living cells. icSHAPE of embryonic stem cell transcriptome versus purified RNA folded in vitro shows that the structural dynamics of RNA in the cellular environment distinguishes different classes of RNAs and regulatory elements. Structural signatures at translational start sites and ribosome pause sites are conserved in vitro, suggesting that these RNA elements are programmed by sequence. In contrast, focal structural rearrangements in vivo reveal precise interfaces of RNA with RNA binding or modification proteins that are consistent with atomic-resolution structural data. Such dynamic structural footprints enable accurate prediction of RNA-protein interactions and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification genome-wide. These results open the door for structural genomics of RNA in living cells and reveal key physiological structures controlling gene expression.