NSun2-mediated cytosine-5 methylation in Vault non-coding RNA determines its processing into small RNAs [RNA-seq]

Autosomal-recessive loss of the NSUN2 gene has been recently identified as a causative link to intellectual disability disorders in humans. NSun2 is an RNA methyltransferase modifying cytosine-5 in transfer RNAs (tRNA). Whether NSun2 methylates additional RNA species is currently debated. Here, we adapted the individual-nucleotide resolution UV cross-linking and immunoprecipitation method (iCLIP) to identify NSun2-mediated methylation in RNA transcriptome. We confirm site-specific methylation in tRNA and identify messenger and non-coding RNAs as potential methylation targets for NSun2. Using RNA bisulfite sequencing we establish Vault non-coding RNAs as novel substrates for NSun2 and identified six cytosine-5 methylated sites. Furthermore, we show that loss of cytosine-5 methylation in Vault RNAs causes aberrant processing into argonaute-associating small RNA fragments (svRNA). Thus, impaired Vault non-coding RNA processing may be an important contributor to the etiology of NSUN2-deficieny human disorders. Overall design: mRNA-seq in Embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells transfected with siRNA against Nsun2 vs control