YTHDF2 Protein, Human (His)

YTHDF2 is a protein that specifically recognizes and binds N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-containing RNAs, regulating their stability and participating in various biological processes. m6A is an internal modification in mRNAs and some non-coding RNAs that influences mRNA stability and processing. YTHDF2 promotes degradation of m6A-containing mRNAs by interacting with either the CCR4-NOT complex or the ribonuclease P/MRP complex, depending on context. The YTHDF paralogs (YTHDF1, YTHDF2, and YTHDF3) share m6A-containing mRNA targets and redundantly mediate mRNA degradation and cellular differentiation. For mRNAs containing the RIDA/HRSP12 binding site (5'-GGUUC-3'), YTHDF2 cooperatively binds with RIDA/HRSP12 to recruit the ribonuclease P/MRP complex for endoribonucleolytic cleavage, while other m6A-containing mRNAs undergo deadenylation via YTHDF2-CNOT1 interaction and CCR4-NOT recruitment. During oocyte maturation, YTHDF2 regulates maternal transcript dosage by binding m6A-containing mRNAs (by similar). In spermatogenesis, it promotes degradation of m6A-containing transcripts encoding matrix metallopeptidases to regulate spermatogonial adhesion (by similar). Additionally, YTHDF2 is involved in hematopoietic stem cell specification, neural development, circadian regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, inhibition of type I interferon response, cap-independent translation during heat shock, mitotic entry regulation, and formation of phase-separated membraneless compartments. It may also recognize m5C-modified RNAs and regulate rRNA processing. During viral infection, YTHDF2 binds m6A-modified viral RNAs to promote gene expression and replication of SV40 and KSHV.