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Albihlal WS, Chan WY, van Werven FJ. Budding yeast as an ideal model for elucidating the role of N 6-methyladenosine in regulating gene expression. Yeast 2024; 41:148-157. [PMID: 38238962 DOI: 10.1002/yea.3925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a highly abundant and evolutionarily conserved messenger RNA (mRNA) modification. This modification is installed on RRACH motifs on mRNAs by a hetero-multimeric holoenzyme known as m6A methyltransferase complex (MTC). The m6A mark is then recognised by a group of conserved proteins known as the YTH domain family proteins which guide the mRNA for subsequent downstream processes that determine its fate. In yeast, m6A is installed on thousands of mRNAs during early meiosis by a conserved MTC and the m6A-modified mRNAs are read by the YTH domain-containing protein Mrb1/Pho92. In this review, we aim to delve into the recent advances in our understanding of the regulation and roles of m6A in yeast meiosis. We will discuss the potential functions of m6A in mRNA translation and decay, unravelling their significance in regulating gene expression. We propose that yeast serves as an exceptional model organism for the study of fundamental molecular mechanisms related to the function and regulation of m6A-modified mRNAs. The insights gained from yeast research not only expand our knowledge of mRNA modifications and their molecular roles but also offer valuable insights into the broader landscape of eukaryotic posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waleed S Albihlal
- The Francis Crick Institute, Cell Fate and Gene Regulation Laboratory, London, UK
| | - Wei Yee Chan
- The Francis Crick Institute, Cell Fate and Gene Regulation Laboratory, London, UK
| | - Folkert J van Werven
- The Francis Crick Institute, Cell Fate and Gene Regulation Laboratory, London, UK
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2
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Kim H, Hu J, Kang H, Kim W. Phylogenetic and functional analyses of N6-methyladenosine RNA methylation factors in the wheat scab fungus Fusarium graminearum. mSphere 2024; 9:e0055223. [PMID: 38085094 PMCID: PMC10826363 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00552-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
In eukaryotes, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification plays a crucial role in governing the fate of RNA molecules and has been linked to various developmental processes. However, the phyletic distribution and functions of genetic factors responsible for m6A modification remain largely unexplored in fungi. To get insights into the evolution of m6A machineries, we reconstructed global phylogenies of potential m6A writers, readers, and erasers in fungi. Substantial copy number variations were observed, ranging from up to five m6A writers in early-diverging fungi to a single copy in the subphylum Pezizomycotina, which primarily comprises filamentous fungi. To characterize m6A factors in a phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum, we generated knockout mutants lacking potential m6A factors including the sole m6A writer MTA1. However, the resulting knockouts did not exhibit any noticeable phenotypic changes during vegetative and sexual growth stages. As obtaining a homozygous knockout lacking MTA1 was likely hindered by its essential role, we generated MTA1-overexpressing strains (MTA1-OE). The MTA1-OE5 strain showed delayed conidial germination and reduced hyphal branching, suggesting its involvement during vegetative growth. Consistent with these findings, the expression levels of MTA1 and a potential m6A reader YTH1 were dramatically induced in germinating conidia, followed by the expression of potential m6A erasers at later vegetative stages. Several genes including transcription factors, transporters, and various enzymes were found to be significantly upregulated and downregulated in the MTA1-OE5 strain. Overall, our study highlights the functional importance of the m6A methylation during conidial germination in F. graminearum and provides a foundation for future investigations into m6A modification sites in filamentous fungi.IMPORTANCEN6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation is a reversible posttranscriptional modification that regulates RNA function and plays a crucial role in diverse developmental processes. This study addresses the knowledge gap regarding phyletic distribution and functions of m6A factors in fungi. The identification of copy number variations among fungal groups enriches our knowledge regarding the evolution of m6A machinery in fungi. Functional characterization of m6A factors in a phytopathogenic filamentous fungus Fusarium graminearum provides insights into the essential role of the m6A writer MTA1 in conidial germination and hyphal branching. The observed effects of overexpressing MTA1 on fungal growth and gene expression patterns of m6A factors throughout the life cycle of F. graminearum further underscore the importance of m6A modification in conidial germination. Overall, this study significantly advances our understanding of m6A modification in fungi, paving the way for future research into its roles in filamentous growth and potential applications in disease control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonjae Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
| | - Jianzhong Hu
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
| | - Wonyong Kim
- Korean Lichen Research Institute, Sunchon National University, Suncheon, South Korea
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea
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Liang L, Wang X, Lan H, Wei S, Lei Y, Zhang S, Zhai H, Hu Y, Lv Y. Comprehensive analysis of aflatoxin B 1 biosynthesis in Aspergillus flavus via transcriptome-wide m 6A methylome response to cycloleucine. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132677. [PMID: 37797576 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Aspergillus flavus and its toxic aflatoxins secondary metabolites contaminate food and grains, posing a severe threat to human health and leading to liver cancer. Here, we demonstrated that cycloleucine blocked aflatoxin B1 synthesis by inhibiting N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation modification of messenger RNA (mRNA). m6A Methylation Immunoprecipitation Sequencing (m6A MeRIP-Seq)-based comprehensive transcriptome-wide m6A profiling identified 102 differentially expressed genes that underwent m6A modification, of which 22 hypermethylated genes were downregulated and 49 hypomethylated genes were upregulated, suggesting a negative correlation between m6A methylation and gene expression. Notably, cycloleucine inhibited aflatoxin B1 production via multiple targets. The m6A sites of several key genes involved in the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway were significantly enriched in the coding sequence and around the stop codon, resulting in their downregulation. Furthermore, m6A methylation on genes related to the aflatoxin B1 biosynthesis pathway led to reduced mRNA stability. Cycloleucine inhibition of aflatoxin B1 production highlights its potential as an agent for removing mycotoxins in environmental pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Aflatoxins, highly carcinogenic secondary metabolites produced by Aspergillus flavus, frequently contaminate crops such as peanut, corn, wheat and sesame leading to irreversible loss in the quality and yield of agricultural products and posing serious threats to food safety. Aflatoxins has also been linked to developmental delays and liver cancer in humans. In our study, 'monitoring aflatoxin concentrations and its bioaccumulation in organisms' has been conducted. The results demonstrated that aflatoxin production in A. flavus was completely blocked after cycloleucine treatment. Additionally, we demonstrated that inhibition of aflatoxin was linked to N6-methyladenosine methylation of multiple genes in aflatoxin biosynthesis pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuke Liang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Haier Lan
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shan Wei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yang Lei
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Shuaibing Zhang
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Huanchen Zhai
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yuansen Hu
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yangyong Lv
- College of biological engineering, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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Xie L, Zhang X, Xie J, Xu Y, Li XJ, Lin L. Emerging Roles for DNA 6mA and RNA m6A Methylation in Mammalian Genome. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13897. [PMID: 37762200 PMCID: PMC10531503 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241813897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic methylation has been shown to play an important role in transcriptional regulation and disease pathogenesis. Recent advancements in detection techniques have identified DNA N6-methyldeoxyadenosine (6mA) and RNA N6-methyladenosine (m6A) as methylation modifications at the sixth position of adenine in DNA and RNA, respectively. While the distributions and functions of 6mA and m6A have been extensively studied in prokaryotes, their roles in the mammalian brain, where they are enriched, are still not fully understood. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the current research progress on 6mA and m6A, as well as their associated writers, erasers, and readers at both DNA and RNA levels. Specifically, we focus on the potential roles of 6mA and m6A in the fundamental biological pathways of the mammalian genome and highlight the significant regulatory functions of 6mA in neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Li Lin
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Non-Human Primate Research, Laboratory of CNS Regeneration (Ministry of Education), Guangdong-Hongkong-Macau Institute of CNS Regeneration, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; (L.X.); (X.Z.); (J.X.); (Y.X.); (X.-J.L.)
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Ensinck I, Maman A, Albihlal WS, Lassandro M, Salzano G, Sideri T, Howell SA, Calvani E, Patel H, Bushkin G, Ralser M, Snijders AP, Skehel M, Casañal A, Schwartz S, van Werven FJ. The yeast RNA methylation complex consists of conserved yet reconfigured components with m6A-dependent and independent roles. eLife 2023; 12:RP87860. [PMID: 37490041 PMCID: PMC10393049 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A), the most abundant mRNA modification, is deposited in mammals/insects/plants by m6A methyltransferase complexes (MTC) comprising a catalytic subunit and at least five additional proteins. The yeast MTC is critical for meiosis and was known to comprise three proteins, of which two were conserved. We uncover three novel MTC components (Kar4/Ygl036w-Vir1/Dyn2). All MTC subunits, except for Dyn2, are essential for m6A deposition and have corresponding mammalian MTC orthologues. Unlike the mammalian bipartite MTC, the yeast MTC is unipartite, yet multifunctional. The mRNA interacting module, comprising Ime4, Mum2, Vir1, and Kar4, exerts the MTC's m6A-independent function, while Slz1 enables the MTC catalytic function in m6A deposition. Both functions are critical for meiotic progression. Kar4 also has a mechanistically separate role from the MTC during mating. The yeast MTC constituents play distinguishable m6A-dependent, MTC-dependent, and MTC-independent functions, highlighting their complexity and paving the path towards dissecting multi-layered MTC functions in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexander Maman
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Guy Bushkin
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical ResearchCambridgeUnited States
| | - Markus Ralser
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
- Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of BiochemistryBerlinGermany
| | | | - Mark Skehel
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | | | - Schraga Schwartz
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of ScienceRehovotIsrael
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Park ZM, Belnap E, Remillard M, Rose MD. Vir1p, the yeast homolog of virilizer, is required for mRNA m6A methylation and meiosis. Genetics 2023; 224:iyad043. [PMID: 36930734 PMCID: PMC10474941 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is among the most abundant modifications of eukaryotic mRNAs. mRNA methylation regulates many biological processes including playing an essential role in meiosis. During meiosis in the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, m6A levels peak early, before the initiation of the meiotic divisions. High-throughput studies suggested, and this work confirms that the uncharacterized protein Ygl036wp interacts with Kar4p, a component of the mRNA m6A-methyltransferase complex. Protein structure programs predict that Ygl036wp folds like VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR, which is involved in mRNA m6A-methylation in higher eukaryotes. In addition, Ygl036wp contains conserved motifs shared with VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR. Accordingly, we propose the name VIR1 for budding yeast ortholog of VIRMA/Virilizer/VIR 1. Vir1p interacts with all other members of the yeast methyltransferase complex and is itself required for mRNA m6A methylation and meiosis. In the absence of Vir1p proteins comprising the methyltransferase complex become unstable, suggesting that Vir1p acts as a scaffold for the complex. The vir1Δ/Δ mutant is defective for the premeiotic S-phase, which is suppressed by overexpression of the early meiotic transcription factor IME1; additional overexpression of the translational regulator RIM4 is required for sporulation. The vir1Δ/Δ mutant exhibits reduced levels of IME1 mRNA, as well as transcripts within Ime1p's regulon. Suppression by IME1 revealed an additional defect in the expression of the middle meiotic transcription factor, Ndt80p (and genes in its regulon), which is rescued by overexpression of RIM4. Together, these data suggest that Vir1p is required for cells to initiate the meiotic program and for progression through the meiotic divisions and spore formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachory M Park
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Ethan Belnap
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Matthew Remillard
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Mark D Rose
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
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Varier RA, Sideri T, Capitanchik C, Manova Z, Calvani E, Rossi A, Edupuganti RR, Ensinck I, Chan VWC, Patel H, Kirkpatrick J, Faull P, Snijders AP, Vermeulen M, Ralser M, Ule J, Luscombe NM, van Werven FJ. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) reader Pho92 is recruited co-transcriptionally and couples translation to mRNA decay to promote meiotic fitness in yeast. eLife 2022; 11:84034. [PMID: 36422864 PMCID: PMC9731578 DOI: 10.7554/elife.84034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
N6- methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification impacts mRNA fate primarily via reader proteins, which dictate processes in development, stress, and disease. Yet little is known about m6A function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which occurs solely during early meiosis. Here, we perform a multifaceted analysis of the m6A reader protein Pho92/Mrb1. Cross-linking immunoprecipitation analysis reveals that Pho92 associates with the 3'end of meiotic mRNAs in both an m6A-dependent and independent manner. Within cells, Pho92 transitions from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, and associates with translating ribosomes. In the nucleus Pho92 associates with target loci through its interaction with transcriptional elongator Paf1C. Functionally, we show that Pho92 promotes and links protein synthesis to mRNA decay. As such, the Pho92-mediated m6A-mRNA decay is contingent on active translation and the CCR4-NOT complex. We propose that the m6A reader Pho92 is loaded co-transcriptionally to facilitate protein synthesis and subsequent decay of m6A modified transcripts, and thereby promotes meiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alice Rossi
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Raghu R Edupuganti
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Oncode Institute, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands,Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, Biomedical Research BuildingMiamiUnited States
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Faull
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, The University of Texas at AustinAustinUnited States
| | | | - Michiel Vermeulen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Oncode Institute, Radboud University NijmegenNijmegenNetherlands
| | - Markus Ralser
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Department of Biochemistry, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinBerlinGermany
| | - Jernej Ule
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Dementia Research Institute, King's College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Nicholas M Luscombe
- The Francis Crick InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, UCL Genetics InstituteLondonUnited Kingdom,Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOkinawaJapan
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