N6-methyl-adenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modifications in messenger and long non- coding RNA. This modification occurs in many sites of mRNA with proposed functions including splicing, export, cytoplamic localization, stability, translation activity, and immune tolerance. Functional inquiries of the m6A modification have been revived since 2011 due to our discovery of human enzymes that reverse m6A methylation and transcriptome-wide mapping of m6A patterns in mRNA and non-coding RNA by others. Together, these results strongly indicate that m6A is a highly dynamic RNA modification that plays important regulatory roles. Recent studies from our laboratories indicate that m6A modifications exert their function through their interactions with specific cellular proteins termed m6A-readers. This proposal investigates biological functions of m6A-reader proteins and addresses the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms. We have identified several m6A-selective binding proteins, and our preliminary data indicate that these proteins significantly impact RNA localization and affect mRNA stability and splicing. Our proposed research will establish specific, molecular models of m6A recognition and cellular function and mechanism of two families of human m6A-reader proteins.
Aim 1 will investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms of a cytoplasmic m6A-reader protein that directly recognizes the m6A-methylated mRNA to affect localization and stability of the target mRNA.
Aim 2 will study the molecular mechanism of one nuclear m6A-reader protein. We have discovered an m6A-switch mechanism that involves m6A-induced RNA conformational switch. The m6A-induced structural change enhances binding of mRNA binding proteins to single-stranded RNA motifs that are otherwise embedded in weak secondary structures. 2)

Public Health Relevance

N6-methyl-adenosine (m6A) is a prevalent modification in messenger and long non-coding RNAs that play important roles in the regulation of gene expression. The proposed research will establish function and mechanism of two families of human m6A-reader proteins. Since m6A- readers have already been implicated in cancer, aging, mental retardation and autoimmunity, our studies should have impacts on human health and disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01GM113194-03
Application #
9302461
Study Section
Macromolecular Structure and Function A Study Section (MSFA)
Program Officer
Barski, Oleg
Project Start
2015-09-01
Project End
2019-06-30
Budget Start
2017-07-01
Budget End
2018-06-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Chicago
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005421136
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60637
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Shi, Hailing; Zhang, Xuliang; Weng, Yi-Lan et al. (2018) m6A facilitates hippocampus-dependent learning and memory through YTHDF1. Nature 563:249-253
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Zhou, Katherine I; Liu, Nian; Pan, Tao (2017) Identification of N6-methyladenosine reader proteins. Methods 126:105-111
Shi, Hailing; Wang, Xiao; Lu, Zhike et al. (2017) YTHDF3 facilitates translation and decay of N6-methyladenosine-modified RNA. Cell Res 27:315-328
Liu, Nian; Zhou, Katherine I; Parisien, Marc et al. (2017) N6-methyladenosine alters RNA structure to regulate binding of a low-complexity protein. Nucleic Acids Res 45:6051-6063
Roundtree, Ian A; Luo, Guan-Zheng; Zhang, Zijie et al. (2017) YTHDC1 mediates nuclear export of N6-methyladenosine methylated mRNAs. Elife 6:
Evans, Molly E; Clark, Wesley C; Zheng, Guanqun et al. (2017) Determination of tRNA aminoacylation levels by high-throughput sequencing. Nucleic Acids Res 45:e133
Zhao, Boxuan Simen; Wang, Xiao; Beadell, Alana V et al. (2017) m6A-dependent maternal mRNA clearance facilitates zebrafish maternal-to-zygotic transition. Nature 542:475-478
Hsu, Phillip J; Zhu, Yunfei; Ma, Honghui et al. (2017) Ythdc2 is an N6-methyladenosine binding protein that regulates mammalian spermatogenesis. Cell Res 27:1115-1127

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