Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 6, 2025

A Method for Measuring RNA N6-methyladenosine Modifications in Cells and Tissues
08:56

A Method for Measuring RNA N6-methyladenosine Modifications in Cells and Tissues

Published on: December 5, 2016

11.0K

Epitranscriptomics Changes the Play: m6A RNA Modifications in Apoptosis

Azime Akçaöz1, Bünyamin Akgül2

  • 1Noncoding RNA Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, İzmir Institute of Technology, Urla, İzmir, Turkey.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology
|July 5, 2022
PubMed

Insights

RNA modifications, specifically m6A methylation, are crucial regulators of programmed cell death (apoptosis). Writers, erasers, and readers of these marks control apoptosis rates, impacting homeostasis and disease.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, is vital for maintaining organismal homeostasis.
  • Dysregulation of apoptosis contributes to developmental issues and diseases.
  • Transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms tightly control apoptosis rates in eukaryotes.

Approach:

  • This review examines the role of RNA modifications in regulating apoptosis.
  • Focuses on N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation and its associated proteins.
  • Explores how m6A dynamics influence the fate of apoptosis-related transcripts.

Key Points:

  • N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is a key epitranscriptomic modification.
  • Proteins involved in m6A "writing," "erasing," and "reading" dynamically regulate apoptosis.
  • m6A modifications impact the stability and translation of transcripts involved in apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • m6A RNA modifications represent a critical layer of control over apoptosis.
  • Understanding m6A dynamics offers insights into maintaining cellular balance and preventing disease.
Keywords:
ApoptosisEpitranscriptomicsm6A RNA modification

More Related Videos

Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry08:45

Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry

Published on: April 21, 2022

2.5K
Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis08:50

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis

Published on: May 14, 2020

6.8K

Related Concept Videos

Nuclear Export of mRNA02:31

Nuclear Export of mRNA

Before mRNAs are exported to the cytoplasm, it is crucial to check each mRNA for structural and functional integrity. Eukaryotic cells use several different mechanisms, collectively known as mRNA surveillance, to look for irregularities in mRNAs. Irregular or aberrant mRNA are rapidly degraded by various enzymes. If a defective mRNA escapes the surveillance, it would be translated into a protein which would either be non-functional or not function properly. One of the primary irregularities in...
7.8K
MicroRNAs01:22

MicroRNAs

MicroRNA (miRNA) are short, regulatory RNA transcribed from introns (non-coding regions of a gene) or intergenic regions (stretches of DNA present between genes). Several processing steps are required to form biologically active, mature miRNA. The initial transcript, called primary miRNA (pri-mRNA), base-pairs with itself, forming a stem-loop structure. Within the nucleus, an endonuclease enzyme, called Drosha, shortens the stem-loop structure into hairpin-shaped pre-miRNA. After the pre-miRNA...
3.1K
mRNA Stability and Gene Expression02:51

mRNA Stability and Gene Expression

The structure and stability of mRNA molecules regulates gene expression, as mRNAs are a key step in the pathway from gene to protein. In eukaryotes, the half-life of mRNA varies from a few minutes up to several days. mRNA stability is essential in growth and development. The absence of the proteins regulating its stability, such as tristetraprolin in mice, can cause systemic issues, including bone marrow overgrowth, inflammation, and autoimmunity.
Cis-acting Elements involved in mRNA stability
5.7K
RNA Stability01:53

RNA Stability

Intact DNA strands can be found in fossils, while scientists sometimes struggle to keep RNA intact under laboratory conditions. The structural variations between RNA and DNA underlie the differences in their stability and longevity. Because DNA is double-stranded, it is inherently more stable. The single-stranded structure of RNA is less stable but also more flexible and can form weak internal bonds. Additionally, most RNAs in the cell are relatively short, while DNA can be up to 250 million...
33.9K
Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps01:23

Regulation of Expression at Multiple Steps

The gene expression in cells is regulated at different stages: (i) transcription, (ii) RNA processing, (iii) RNA localization, and (iv) translation. Transcriptional regulation is mediated by regulatory proteins such as transcription factors, activators, or repressors—these control gene expression by initiating or inhibiting the transcription of genes. Once a precursor or pre-mRNA is produced, it undergoes post-transcriptional modification, including 5' capping, splicing, and the...
993
Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing02:41

Chromatin Structure Regulates pre-mRNA Processing

In eukaryotic cells, nascent mRNA transcripts need to undergo many post-transcriptional modifications to reach the cell cytoplasm and translate into functional proteins. For a long time, transcription and pre-mRNA processing were considered two independent events that occur sequentially in the cell. However, it has now been well established that transcription and pre-mRNA processing are two simultaneous processes that are precisely regulated inside the cell.
The chromatin structure, especially...
7.1K