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Regulation of Virus Replication and T Cell Homeostasis by N6-Methyladenosine

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Virologica Sinica

Abstract

RNA modifications are abundant in eukaryotes, bacteria, and archaea. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a type of RNA modification mainly found in messenger RNA (mRNA), has significant effects on the metabolism and function of mRNAs. This modification is governed by three types of proteins, namely methyltransferases as “writers”, demethylases as “erasers”, and specific m6A-binding proteins (YTHDF1-3) as “readers”. Further, it is important for the regulation of cell fate and has a critical function in many biological processes including virus replication, stem cell differentiation, and cancer development, and exerts its effect by controlling gene expression. Herein, we summarize recent advances in research on m6A in virus replication and T cell regulation, which is a rapidly emerging field that will facilitate the development of antiviral therapies and the study of innate immunity.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81672004, 31270202,81801993, and 81801994), the Jilin University Science and Technology Innovative Research Team (JLUSTIRT, 2017TD-05), the Science and Technology Department of Jilin Province (20160101044JC), the Health and Family Planning Commission of Jilin Province (2013Z066), the Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology, Jilin Province (20102209), and China Postdocotoral Science Foundation (2018M631869).

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  1. Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, China

    Jing Yang, Hong Wang & Wenyan Zhang

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  1. Jing Yang
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  2. Hong Wang
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Correspondence to Hong Wang or Wenyan Zhang.

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Yang, J., Wang, H. & Zhang, W. Regulation of Virus Replication and T Cell Homeostasis by N6-Methyladenosine. Virol. Sin. 34, 22–29 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12250-018-0075-5

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