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Updated: Oct 31, 2025

Exploring m6A and m5C Epitranscriptomes upon Viral Infection: an Example with HIV
Published on: March 5, 2022
HIV Replication Is Increased by RNA Methylation METTL3/METTL14/WTAP Complex Activators
Simona Selberg1, Eva Žusinaite2, Koit Herodes1
1Institute of Chemistry, University of Tartu, Tartu 50411, Estonia.
None:
The N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications in both viral and host cell RNAs play an important role in HIV-1 virus genome transcription and virus replication. We demonstrate here that activators of the METTL3/METTL14/WTAP RNA methyltransferase complex enhance the production of virus particles in cells harboring HIV-1 provirus. In parallel, the amount of m6A residues in the host cell mRNA was increased in the presence of these activator compounds. Importantly, the m6A methylation of the HIV-1 RNA was also enhanced significantly (about 18%). The increase of virus replication by the small-molecule activators of the METTL3/METTL14/WTAP complex excludes them as potential anti-HIV-1 drug candidates. However, the compounds may be of large interest as activators for the latent HIV-1 provirus copies deposited in host cells' genome and the subsequent virus eradication by an antiviral compound.
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