NOP2 (E9Z4D) Rabbit mAb #90709

Chemical modifications of RNA regulate many cellular processes. One particular RNA modification, 5-methylcytosine (5-mC), regulates ribosome assembly, translation, and RNA stability (1). In eukaryotes, this modification is added to RNA by the DNA methyltransferase homologue 2 protein (DNMT2; also known as TRDMT1), and also by members of the NOL1/NOP2/SUN domain (NSUN) family of proteins. NSUN proteins are putative S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent methyltransferases that carry out their enzymatic activity by utilizing two cysteine residues in their active sites (2). There are currently seven known members of this family, consisting of NOP2 (NSUN1) and NSUN2-7.

NOP2, also known as NSUN1, is an 89 kDa member of the NSUN protein family that specifically targets and methylates 28S rRNA (3). In humans, methylation of C4413 in the 28S rRNA by NOP2 is thought to increase stability of the ribosome. NOP2 is strongly overexpressed in many cancers, including colorectal and lung cancer, where it may contribute to tumorigenesis by recruiting telomerase to the cyclin D1 promoter and activating gene expression (4-6). NOP2 also interacts with BRD4 and RNA polymerase II, suggesting additional roles for NOP2 in regulating transcription (1,7).