Dynamic regulation of N6,2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am) in obesity

Abstract

The prevalent m⁶Am mRNA cap modification was recently identified as a valid target for removal by the human obesity gene FTO along with the previously established m⁶A mRNA modification. However, the deposition and dynamics of m⁶Am in regulating obesity are unknown. Here, we investigate the liver m⁶A/m methylomes in mice fed on a high fat Western-diet and in ob/ob mice. We find that FTO levels are elevated in fat mice, and that genes which lost m⁶Am marking under obesity are overly downregulated, including the two fatty-acid-binding proteins FABP2, and FABP5. Furthermore, the cellular perturbation of FTO correspondingly affect protein levels of its targets. Notably, generally m⁶Am- but not m⁶A-methylated genes, are found to be highly enriched in metabolic processes. Finally, we deplete all m⁶A background via Mettl3 knockout, and unequivocally uncover the association of m⁶Am methylation with increased mRNA stability, translation efficiency, and higher protein expression. Together, these results strongly implicate a dynamic role for m⁶Am in obesity-related translation regulation.