Methylation is a prevalent post-transcriptional modification that occurs in almost all RNA species. NSUN2, a nucleolar RNA methyltransferase, has been shown to methylate mRNAs encoding factors that control cell division and growth arrest, thereby affecting their stability and/or translation. Here, the author summarizes the recent progress in understanding NSUN2-mediated mRNA methylation and its implications in cell proliferation and senescence. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:838-842. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1380 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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