5-Methylcytosine RNA Modifications Promote Retrovirus Replication in an ALYREF Reader Protein-Dependent Manner
Matthew J. Eckwahl, Ruyi Xu, Julia Michalkiewicz, Wen Zhang, Pooja Patel, Zhen Cai, Tao Pan
Abstract
Over 130 modifications have been identified in cellular RNAs, which play critical roles in many cellular processes, from modulating RNA stability to altering translation efficiency. One such modification, 5-methylcytosine, is relatively abundant in mammalian mRNAs, but its precise location and function are not well understood. In this study, we identified unexpectedly high levels of m 5 C in the murine leukemia virus RNA, precisely mapped its location, and showed that ALYREF, a reader protein that specifically recognizes m 5 C, regulates viral production. Together, our findings provide a high-resolution atlas of m 5 C in murine leukemia virus and reveal a functional role of m 5 C in viral replication.