Scientific Reports 5

Self-association of Trimethylguanosine Synthase Tgs1 is required for efficient snRNA/snoRNA trimethylation and pre-rRNA processing

Kum-Loong Boon, Michael David Pearson, Martin Koš.
Trimethylguanosine Synthase catalyses transfer of two methyl groups to the m7G cap of RNA polymerase II transcribed snRNAs, snoRNAs, and telomerase RNA TLC1 to form a 2,2,7-trimethylguanosine cap. While in vitro studies indicate that Tgs1 functions as a monomer and the dimethylation of m7G caps is not a processive reaction, partially methylated sn(o)RNAs are typically not detected in living cells. Here we show that both yeast and human Tgs1p possess a conserved self-association property located at the N-terminus. A disruption of Tgs1 self-association led to a strong reduction of sn(o)RNA trimethylation as well as reduced nucleolar enrichment of Tgs1. Self-association of Tgs1p and its catalytic activity were also prerequisite to bypass the requirement for its accessory factor Swm2p for efficient pre-rRNA processing and snRNA trimethylation. The ability to self-associate might enable Tgs1 to efficiently dimethylate the caps of the targeted RNAs in vivo.