New readers and writers of RNA modifications unique to leukemia stem cells

Newswise — Chemical modifications of RNA are regulated by a series of readers, writers, and erasers that dictate gene expression. Two new studies in Cell Stem Cell1,2 identify roles for the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methyltransferase METTL16 and the m6A reader IGF2BP2 in leukemia-initiating cells, illuminating exciting new therapeutic targets for leukemia.