Methylation as a crucial step in plant microRNA biogenesis

Science. 2005 Feb 11;307(5711):932-5. doi: 10.1126/science.1107130.

Abstract

Methylation on the base or the ribose is prevalent in eukaryotic ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) and is thought to be crucial for ribosome biogenesis and function. Artificially introduced 2'-O-methyl groups in small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) can stabilize siRNAs in serum without affecting their activities in RNA interference in mammalian cells. Here, we show that plant microRNAs (miRNAs) have a naturally occurring methyl group on the ribose of the last nucleotide. Whereas methylation of rRNAs depends on guide RNAs, the methyltransferase protein HEN1 is sufficient to methylate miRNA/miRNA* duplexes. Our studies uncover a new and crucial step in plant miRNA biogenesis and have profound implications in the function of miRNAs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Methylation
  • MicroRNAs / chemistry
  • MicroRNAs / metabolism*
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Plant / chemistry
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / chemistry
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism
  • Ribose / metabolism
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • HEN1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • MicroRNAs
  • Oligonucleotides, Antisense
  • RNA, Plant
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Ribose