N6‐methyladenosine modification in mRNA: machinery, function and implications for health and diseases
2016
Maity, Arpita | Das, Biswadip
N6‐methyladenosine (m⁶A) modification in mRNA is extremely widespread, and functionally modulates the eukaryotic transcriptome to influence mRNA splicing, export, localization, translation, and stability. Methylated adenines are present in a large subset of mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Methylation is reversible, and this is accomplished by the orchestrated action of highly conserved methyltransferase (m⁶A writer) and demethylase (m⁶A eraser) enzymes to shape the cellular ‘epitranscriptome’. The engraved ‘methyl code’ is subsequently decoded and executed by a group of m⁶A reader/effector components, which, in turn, govern the fate of the modified transcripts, thereby dictating their potential for translation. Reversible mRNA methylation thus adds another layer of regulation at the post‐transcriptional level in the gene expression programme of eukaryotes that finely sculpts a highly dynamic proteome in order to respond to diverse cues during cellular differentiation, immune tolerance, and neuronal signalling.
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library