The 18S ribosomal RNA m 6 A methyltransferase Mettl5 is required for normal walking behavior in Drosophila

RNA modifications have recently emerged as an important layer of gene regulation. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prominent modification on eukaryotic messenger RNA and has also been found on noncoding RNA, including ribosomal and small nuclear RNA. Recently, several m6A methyltransferases were identified, uncovering the specificity of m6A deposition by structurally distinct enzymes. In order to discover additional m6A enzymes, we performed an RNAi screen to deplete annotated orthologs of human methyltransferase-like proteins (METTLs) in Drosophila cells and identified CG9666, the ortholog of human METTL5. We show that CG9666 is required for specific deposition of m6A on 18S ribosomal …