@article {Turner2021.07.21.453193, author = {David J. Turner and Alexander Saveliev and Fiamma Salerno and Louise S. Matheson and Michael Screen and Hannah Lawson and David Wotherspoon and Kamil R. Kranc and Martin Turner}, title = {The RNA m6A binding protein YTHDF2 promotes the B cell to plasma cell transition}, elocation-id = {2021.07.21.453193}, year = {2021}, doi = {10.1101/2021.07.21.453193}, publisher = {Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory}, abstract = {To identify roles of RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in the differentiation of B cells to antibody-secreting plasma cells we performed a CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen of 1213 mouse RBPs for their ability to affect proliferation and/or survival, and the emergence of differentiated CD138+ cells in vitro. We identified RBPs that promoted the appearance of CD138+ cells including CSDE1 and STRAP, as well as RBPs that inhibited CD138+ cell appearance such as EIF3 subunits EIF3K and EIF3L. Furthermore, we identified RBPs that share the property of recruiting the CCR4-NOT complex to their target transcripts have the potential to mediate opposing outcomes on B cell differentiation. One such RBP, the m6A binding protein YTHDF2 promotes the appearance of CD138+ cells in vitro. In chimeric mouse models YTHDF2-deficient B cells formed germinal centers in a cell-autonomous manner, however plasma cells failed to accumulate.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.}, URL = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/07/21/2021.07.21.453193}, eprint = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/07/21/2021.07.21.453193.full.pdf}, journal = {bioRxiv} }