Emerging role of dynamic RNA modifications during animal development

Publication date: Available online 11 April 2018Source: Mechanisms of DevelopmentAuthor(s): Estefanía Sánchez-Vásquez, Nagif Alata Jimenez, Nicolás A. Vázquez, Pablo H. Strobl-MazzullaAbstractThe central dogma of molecular biology statically says that the information flows from DNA to messenger RNA to protein. But the recent advances in mass spectrometry and high throughput technology have helped the scientists to view RNA as little more than a courier of genetic information encoded in the DNA. The dynamics of RNA modifications in coding and non-coding RNAs are just emerging as a carrier of non-genetic information, uncovering a new layer of complexity in the regulation of gene expression and protein translation. In this review, we summarize about the current knowledge of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), N1-methyladenosine (m1A), 5-methylcytosine (m5C) and pseudouridine (Ψ) modifications in RNA, and described how these RNA modifications are implicated in early animal development and in several human diseases.
Source: Mechanisms of Development - Category: Biology Source Type: research