Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 18, 2025
11:04
RNA Next-Generation Sequencing and a Bioinformatics Pipeline to Identify Expressed LINE-1s at the Locus-Specific Level
Published on: May 19, 2019
10.2K
L1 retrotransposons exploit RNA m6A modification as an evolutionary driving force
Sung-Yeon Hwang1,2, Hyunchul Jung3, Seyoung Mun4,5,6
1Center for RNA Research, Institute for Basic Science, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Nature Communications
|February 10, 2021
Summary
L1 retrotransposons exploit RNA m6A modification for replication. The METTL3 enzyme aids L1 propagation, while ALKBH5 suppresses it, revealing a key evolutionary survival strategy.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Evolutionary Biology
Background:
- L1 retrotransposons threaten genome integrity.
- Host surveillance mechanisms restrict L1 replication, but propagation pathways remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of RNA m6A modification in L1 retrotransposon propagation.
- To elucidate the evolutionary strategy of L1 retrotransposons.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of human- and primate-specific L1 lineages.
- Investigating the interaction between L1 elements and RNA m6A machinery (METTL3, ALKBH5).
Main Results:
- RNA m6A 'writer' METTL3 facilitates L1 retrotransposition.
- RNA m6A 'eraser' ALKBH5 suppresses L1 retrotransposition.
- An m6A cluster on the L1 5' UTR enhances translation and ribonucleoprotein formation, with motif-containing L1s positively selected in young lineages.
Conclusions:
- L1 retrotransposons hijack the RNA m6A modification system for replication.
- This hijacking represents an evolutionary survival strategy for L1 propagation.
Related Concept Videos
03:18Non-LTR Retrotransposons
12.6K
As the name suggests, non-LTR retrotransposons lack the long terminal repeats characteristic of the LTR retrotransposons. Additionally, both LTR and non-LTR retrotransposons use distinct mechanisms of mobilization. Non-LTR retrotransposons are further divided into two classes - Long interspersed nuclear elements (LINEs) and short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), both of which occur abundantly in most mammals, including humans. Some of the active non-LTR retrotransposons in humans are L1...
12.6K
03:08LTR Retrotransposons
18.7K
LTR retrotransposons are class I transposable elements with long terminal repeats flanking an internal coding region. These elements are less abundant in mammals compared to other class I transposable elements. About 8 percent of human genomic DNA comprises LTR retrotransposons. Some of the common examples of LTR retrotransposons are Ty elements in yeast and Copia elements in Drosophila.
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
The internal coding region of LTR retrotransposons and their mechanism of transposition closely resembles a...
18.7K
02:23RNA Editing
9.5K
RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...
9.5K
02:33Retroviruses
13.5K
Retroviruses and retrotransposons both insert copies of their genetic elements into the genome of the host cell. Thus, the viral genes are passed on when the host genome is replicated or translated. A typical retroviral DNA sequence contains 3-4 genes that encode the different proteins required for its structural assembly and function as a molecular parasite. This DNA is transcribed into a single mRNA, which is very similar in structure to conventional mRNAs, i.e., it is capped at the 5’...
13.5K
02:57DNA-only Transposons
15.7K
DNA-only transposons are called autonomous transposons since they code for the enzyme transposase that is required for the transposition mechanism. Insertion of transposons can alter gene functions in multiple ways. They can mutate the gene, alter gene expression by introducing a novel promoter or insulator sequence, introduce new splice sites, and change the mRNA transcripts produced, or remodel chromatin structure.
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
The donor site from where the transposon is excised is either degraded or...
15.7K
02:28Leaky Scanning
5.4K
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.4K