Abstract
While the presence of 6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications in mRNA was noted several decades ago, the first enzyme reversing this modification was identified very recently. Today we know of two methyltransferases introducing m6A in mRNA--METTL3 and METTL14--and two demethylases that remove it have been identified-FTO (ALKBH9) and ALKBH5. The conserved role of m6A seems to relate to meiosis, and mice lacking ALKBH5 are infertile. While loss-of-function mutation in FTO causes a recessive lethal syndrome, sequence variants in introns of the FTO gene are associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Adenosine / analogs & derivatives*
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Adenosine / metabolism
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AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase
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Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / genetics
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / metabolism*
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Dioxygenases / genetics
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Dioxygenases / metabolism
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Humans
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Membrane Proteins / genetics
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Membrane Proteins / metabolism
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Methyltransferases / genetics
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Methyltransferases / metabolism
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Mutation
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Obesity / genetics
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Obesity / metabolism*
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Proteins / genetics
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Proteins / metabolism
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RNA, Messenger / genetics
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism*
Substances
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Membrane Proteins
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Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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N-methyladenosine
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Dioxygenases
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ALKBH5 protein, human
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AlkB Homolog 5, RNA Demethylase
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Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO
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FTO protein, human
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METTL14 protein, human
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Methyltransferases
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METTL3 protein, human
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Adenosine