Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
5-23-2022
Journal
Biochemistry
Abstract
PCIF1 and FTO are a pair of human mRNA cap-specific modification enzymes that have opposing activities. PCIF1 adds a methyl group to the N6-position of 2′O-methyladenosine (Am), generating N6, 2′O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am), when Am is the cap-proximal nucleotide. FTO removes the N6-methyl group from m6Am. In addition, FTO has a demethylase activity on a broad spectrum of various RNA substrates, as well as on DNA N6-methyldeoxyadenosine (m6dA). While the existence of m6dA in mammalian DNA remains controversial, we show here that PCIF1 has significant methylation activity on single stranded DNA deoxyadenosine, double stranded RNA/DNA hybrids, and double stranded DNA, though with lower catalytic efficiency than that on its preferred RNA substrate. PCIF1 has activities in the order ssRNA > RNA/DNA hybrid > ssDNA > dsDNA. We discuss the implications of PCIF1 generation, and FTO removal, of DNA adenine methylation.
DOI
10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00134
PMID
35605980
PMCID
PMC9178792
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
5-23-2022
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Graphical Abstract
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Bioinformatics Commons, Biomedical Informatics Commons, Genetic Phenomena Commons, Medical Genetics Commons, Oncology Commons