FTSJ3 is an RNA 2’-O-methyltransferase originally discovered through its role in processing of 34S pre-rRNA. In addition to contributing to RNA stabilization, 2’-O-methylation at the 5’-cap enables the innate immune system to distinguish self from non-self mRNA. While some viruses encode their own 2’-O-methyltransferase enabling them to avoid detection by the innate immune system, HIV does not. However, it was recently demonstrated that FTSJ3 is recruited to HIV RNA resulting in 2’-O-methylation of the HIV RNA genome and evasion of immune detection. Cells deficient in FTSJ3 produced virus with less 2’-O-methylation and upregulated type I interferon expression leading to reduced HIV expression and replication.
[1] Morello, L.G. et al. (2011) PLoS One 6, e29174.
[2] Züst, R. et al. (2011) Nat Immunol 12, 137-43.
[3] Dong, H. et al. (2012) PLoS Pathog 8, e1002642.
[4] Coutard, B. et al. (2017) J Virol 91, e02202-16.
[5] Ringeard, M. et al. (2019) Nature 565, 500-504.
