Dynamics of Human and Viral RNA Methylation during Zika Virus Infection

Gianluigi Lichinchi, Boxuan Simen Zhao, Yinga Wu, Zhike Lu, Yue Qin, Chuan He, Tariq M. Rana

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Infection with the flavivirus Zika (ZIKV) causes neurological, immunological, and developmental defects through incompletely understood mechanisms. We report that ZIKV infection affects viral and human RNAs by altering the topology and function of N6-adenosine methylation (m6A), a modification affecting RNA structure and function. m6A nucleosides are abundant in ZIKV RNA, with twelve m6A peaks identified across full-length ZIKV RNA. m6A in ZIKV RNA is controlled by host methyltransferases METTL3 and METTL14 and demethylases ALKBH5 and FTO, and knockdown of methyltransferases increases, while silencing demethylases decreases, ZIKV production. YTHDF family proteins, which regulate the stability of m6A-modified RNA, bind to ZIKV RNA, and their silencing increases ZIKV replication. Profiling of the m6A methylome of host mRNAs reveals that ZIKV infection alters m6A location in mRNAs, methylation motifs, and target genes modified by methyltransferases. Our results identify a mechanism by which ZIKV interacts with and alters host cell functions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)666-673
Number of pages8
JournalCell Host and Microbe
Volume20
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 9 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • 2′-O methylation
  • mA methylation
  • methyltransferases
  • Zika virus

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • Microbiology
  • Virology

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