The roles of m6A RNA modifiers in human cancer. Issue 3 (March 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Liang, Yanwen; Zhan, Guankai; Chang, Kao-Jung; Yang, Yi-Ping; Wang, Lingfang; Lin, Jiebo; Hsu, Chih-Hung
• Is Part Of: Journal of the Chinese Medical Association. Volume 83:Issue 3(2020)
• Page Start: 221
• Page End: 226
• Publication Date: 2020-03
• Subjects: Epitranscriptomics -- N6-methyladenosine -- RNA methylation; Medicine -- Periodicals; 610.5
• DOI: 10.1097/JCMA.0000000000000251
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1726-4901

Abstract

Abstract : Like DNA and proteins, RNA is subject to numerous (over 160) covalent modifications which play critical roles to regulate RNA metabolism. Among these modifications, N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most prevalent RNA methylation on mRNA which occurs on around 25% of transcripts. The recent studies demonstrated that m 6 A participates in many aspects of RNA processing, including splicing, nuclear exporting, translation, stabilization, etc. Therefore, it revealed a new layer of regulatory mechanism for gene expression and has been termed "RNA Epigenetics" or "Epitranscriptomics". RNA m 6 A is regulated and exerts its functions by three groups of "m 6 A RNA modifiers" including m 6 A methyltransferases (writers), m 6 A demethylases (erasers), and m 6 A binding proteins (readers). In this review, we would summarize and discuss the current understandings of the roles of the conventional m 6 A RNA modifiers in human cancers.