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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
08:53
A Reporter Based Cellular Assay for Monitoring Splicing Efficiency
Published on: September 15, 2021
Spliceosomal proteins direct RNA methylation to modulate gene expression and silence retrotransposons
Drisya Vijayakumari1, Xander Gottfried1,2, Brent Groubert1,3
1Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Nature Communications
|July 8, 2026
Summary
Researchers discovered a new RNA processing pathway involving TGS1 and TEaM that regulates gene expression and silences retrotransposons by targeting cryptic introns. This mechanism uses trimethylguanosine capping to promote RNA interference and heterochromatin formation.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
- RNA Biology
Background:
- RNA modifications are crucial for gene regulation and processing.
- The full diversity and specificity of RNA modifications are not yet fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel regulators of RNA processing and gene silencing.
- To elucidate the mechanism of TMG capping in RNA regulation.
Main Methods:
- Genetic screen in *S. pombe*
- Identification of RNA methyltransferase TGS1 and Coilin-related proteins
- Characterization of the TEaM protein assembly and its recruitment to RNA
Main Results:
- TGS1 and Coilin-related proteins form the TEaM complex, regulating transcripts with cryptic introns.
- TEaM complex is recruited to specific RNAs via spliceosomal components or YTH-family proteins.
- TGS1-catalyzed TMG capping facilitates Pir2/ARS2 engagement, promoting RNA processing and RNAi-mediated silencing.
- This pathway targets centromeric repeat RNAs, generating siRNAs for heterochromatin nucleation.
Conclusions:
- A novel pathway involving TGS1-directed TMG capping and Pir2/ARS2 regulates gene expression and silences retrotransposons.
- Cryptic introns serve as targets for RNAi substrate specification.
- This mechanism broadly impacts gene expression and retrotransposon silencing.
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