Two hundred-billion red blood cells are renewed in our body every single day. These erythrocytes (also known as red blood cells) are generated from bi-potent megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor cells during a maturation process called erythropoiesis. Erythropoiesis is controlled very tightly and defects in the key elements of this step-wise maturation can lead to life-threatening conditions such as severe anemia or myeloproliferative disease. Transcriptional RNA interference-dependent and translational regulations are part of the core mechanisms required for proper erythropoiesis. Recently, an mRNA modification called N6-methyladenosine (m6A) has been found to control the expansion and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells. The addition of the methyl group on mRNA adenosine is mediated by a methyl-transferase (MTase) complex composed of METTL3, METTL14 and Wilms’ tumor 1-associated protein (WTAP). m6A is involved in pre-mRNA processing, mRNA translation efficiency and mRNA stability. Dr. Patrick Paddison’s group (Human Biology Division) investigated the role of m6A in erythropoiesis and communicated their findings in a recent publication in Nature Communications1.
