DRBD18 acts as a transcript-specific RNA editing auxiliary factor in Trypanosoma brucei

Uridine insertion/deletion (U-indel) RNA editing of mitochondrial transcripts is a posttranscriptional modification in kinetoplastid organisms, resulting in the generation of mature mRNAs from cryptic precursors. This RNA editing process involves a multiprotein complex holoenzyme and multiple accessory factors. Recent investigations have highlighted the pivotal involvement of accessory RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) in modulating RNA editing in Trypanosoma brucei, often in a transcript-specific manner. DRBD18 is a multifunctional RBP that reportedly impacts the stability, processing, export, and translation of nuclear-encoded mRNAs. However, mass spectrometry studies report DRBD18-RESC interactions, prompting us to investigate its role in mitochondrial U-indel RNA editing. In this study, we demonstrate the specific and RNase-sensitive interaction of DRBD18 with multiple RESC factors. Depletion of DRBD18 through RNA interference in procyclic form T. brucei leads to a significant reduction in the levels of edited A6 and COIII mitochondrial transcripts, whereas its overexpression causes a notable increase in the abundance of these edited mRNAs. RNA immunoprecipitation/qRT-PCR analysis indicates a direct role for DRBD18 in A6 and COIII mRNA editing. We also examined the impact of arginine methylation of DRBD18 in the editing process, revealing that the hypomethylated form of DRBD18, rather than the arginine-methylated version, is essential for promoting these editing events. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that DRBD18 directly affects the editing of A6 and COIII mRNAs, with its function being modulated by its arginine methylation status, marking the first report of a mitochondrial function for this protein and identifying it as a newly characterized RNA editing auxiliary factor.