Specifical regulation of m6A by SRSF7 promotes the tumorigenesis of glioblastoma

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs, it regulates RNA metabolism and is closely related to tumor initiation and progression. However, how the individual transcript is selected to be methylated and how it results in tumorigenesis are poorly understood. Here, we report that RNA binding protein Serine/arginine factor7(SRSF7) selectively guides m6A methylation on several tumorigenic mRNA through recruiting m6A methyltranferase complex. Meanwhile, SRSF7 is aberrantly upregulated in clinical glioma specimens and acts as a partner of METTL3 to play an oncogenic role in promoting glioma cell survival and glioblastoma progression through facilitating m6A deposition on target mRNAs, such as PBK, in an m6A dependent manner. Overall, these results not only provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism by how RNA binding proteins regulate the selectivity of m6A deposition on mRNA, but also reveal the mechanism how it leads to the development of disease.