The non-canonical poly(A) polymerase FAM46C promotes erythropoiesis.

Abstract

The post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA is a crucial component of gene expression. The disruption of this process has detrimental effects on the normal development and gives rise to various diseases. Searching for novel post-transcriptional regulators and exploring their roles are essential for understanding development and disease. Through a multimodal analysis of red blood cell trait genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and transcriptomes of erythropoiesis, we identify FAM46C, a non-canonical RNA poly(A) polymerase, as a necessary factor for proper red blood cell development. FAM46C is highly expressed in the late stages of the erythroid lineage, and its developmental upregulation is controlled by an erythroid-specific enhancer. We demonstrate that FAM46C stabilizes mRNA and regulates erythroid differentiation in a polymerase activity-dependent manner. Furthermore, we identify transcripts of lysosome and mitochondria components as highly confident in vivo targets of FAM46C, which aligns with the need of maturing red blood cells for substantial clearance of organelles and maintenance of cellular redox homeostasis. In conclusion, our study unveils a unique role of FAM46C in positively regulating lysosome and mitochondria components, thereby promoting erythropoiesis.