May 2, 2025 - Seminar - Starting at the End: Insights into the Structure and Function of Human MALAT1 and Triple Helices

Published: April 29, 2025

Jessica Brown PhD.

Abstract

Human metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is a long noncoding RNA stabilized by a triple helix at its mature 3' end. This triple helix interacts with methyltransferase- like protein 16 (METTL16), an m6A RNA methyltransferase. However, the structure and biological function of the METTL16•MALAT1 triple helix complex is unknown. I will present how METTL16 recognizes the MALAT1 triple helix using results from electrophoretic mobility shift assays and low- resolution electron microscopy. We propose a model in which the N-terminal methyltransferase domain of METTL16 interacts with the basal stem-linker region and the C-terminal domain interacts with the basal portion of the bipartite triple helix in a manner that depends on the C-G doublet and its location within the triple helix. Our structural and biochemical results begin to establish how METTL16 recognizes a triple helix, thereby advancing our limited knowledge of binding mechanisms utilized by triple-stranded RNA-binding proteins.

When: May 2, 2025

Where: North Classroom 1130

Time: 11:00 am - 12:00pm