Mammalian WTAP is a regulatory subunit of the RNA N6-methyladenosine methyltransferase

The methyltransferase like 3 (METTL3)-containing methyltransferase complex catalyzes the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) formation, a novel epitranscriptomic marker; however, the nature of this complex remains largely unknown. Here we report two new components of the human m6A methyltransferase complex, Wilms' tumor 1-associating protein (WTAP) and methyltransferase like 14 (METTL14). WTAP interacts with METTL3 and METTL14, and is required for their localization into nuclear speckles enriched with pre-mRNA processing factors and for catalytic activity of the m6A methyltransferase in vivo. The majority of RNAs bound by WTAP and METTL3 in vivo represent mRNAs containing the consensus m6A motif. In the absence of WTAP,…

• SO
  Sundhed og Sygdom, Det Frie Forskningsråd
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 30971678, 91319308
• CA
  Chinese Academy of Sciences

  Award: XDA01010110
• MR
  Medical Research Council
• NK
  National Key Research and Development Program of China

  Awards: 2011CB943900, 2010CB945300, 2012CB518302, 2011CB510103