MeRIP-seq mapping of m6A in the IFN-β induced transcriptome in Huh7 cells

The RNA modification N6-methyladenosine (m6A) regulates gene expression through various transcript-specific effects. The goal of this experiment was to identify m6A-modified transcripts during the type I interferon response, with interest in determining which interferon-stimulated genes are modified by m6A. We found that a high percentage of ISGs are m6A-modified, and in follow-up experiments we determined the effects of m6A on the expression of interferon-stimulated genes. We found that m6A regulates the translation of a subset of ISGs, which in turn augments the antiviral effects of the type I interferon respnose. Huh7 cells were seeded in 15-cm plates and treated with IFN-β at 50 units/mL or mock treated for 8 hours prior to harvest and MeRIP-seq was performed. 3 biological replicates were performed for each condition.