The rRNA m(6)A methyltransferase METTL5 is involved in pluripotency and developmental programs

Ignatova, Valentina V.; Stolz, Paul; Kaiser, Steffen; Gustafsson, Tobias H.; Lastres, Palma Rico; Sanz-Moreno, Adrian; Cho, Yi-Li; Amarie, Oana V.; Aguilar-Pimentel, Antonio; Klein-Rodewald, Tanja; Calzada-Wack, Julia; Becker, Lore; Marschall, Susan; Kraiger, Markus; Garrett, Lillian; Seisenberger, Claudia; Hoelter, Sabine M.; Borland, Kayla; Logt, Erik van de; Jansen, Pascal W. T. C.; Baltissen, Marijke P.; Valenta, Magdalena; Vermeulen, Michiel; Wurst, Wolfgang; Gailus-Durner, Valerie; Fuchs, Helmut; Hrabe de Angelis, Martin; Rando, Oliver J.; Kellner, Stefanie M.; Bultmann, Sebastian und Schneider, Robert (2020): The rRNA m(6)A methyltransferase METTL5 is involved in pluripotency and developmental programs. In: Genes & Development, Bd. 34: S. 715-729

Abstract

Covalent chemical modifications of cellular RNAs directly impact all biological processes. However, our mechanistic understanding of the enzymes catalyzing these modifications, their substrates and biological functions, remains vague. Amongst RNA modifications N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is widespread and found in messenger (mRNA), ribosomal (rRNA), and noncoding RNAs. Here, we undertook a systematic screen to uncover new RNA methyltransferases. We demonstrate that the methyltransferase-like 5 (METTL5) protein catalyzes m(6)A in 18S rRNA at position A(1832). We report that absence of Mett15 in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) results in a decrease in global translation rate, spontaneous loss of pluripotency, and compromised differentiation potential. METTL5-deficient mice are born at non-Mendelian rates and develop morphological and behavioral abnormalities. Importantly, mice lacking METTL5 recapitulate symptoms of patients with DNA variants in METTL5, thereby providing a new mouse disease model. Overall, our biochemical, molecular, and in vivo characterization highlights the importance of m(6)A in rRNA in stemness, differentiation, development, and diseases.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Chemie und Pharmazie > Department Chemie
• Themengebiete: 500 Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik > 540 Chemie
• ISSN: 0890-9369
• Sprache: Englisch