2'-O-Methylated ncRNA condensates form a recombination center for IgH synapsis

Kobayashi, M.; Xu, J.; Husain, A.; Moriwaki, T.; Yin, Z.; Chen, X.; Wang, W.; Fujita, T.; Fujii, H.; Ulum, L. L.; Oyoshi, T.; Omura, K.; Iida, K.; Kosako, H.; Honjo, T.

doi:10.64898/2026.11.05.761835

bioRxiv · 10.64898/2026.11.05.761835

2'-O-Methylated ncRNA condensates form a recombination center for IgH synapsis

Kobayashi, M.·Xu, J.·Husain, A.·Moriwaki, T.·Yin, Z.·Chen, X.·Wang, W.·Fujita, T.·Fujii, H.·Ulum, L. L.·Oyoshi, T.·Omura, K.·Iida, K.·Kosako, H.·Honjo, T.

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Abstract

How fibrillarin (FBL), an RNA 2'-O-methyltransferase, regulates antibody diversification remains unclear. This study demonstrated that FBL promotes switch (S)-S DNA synapsis at the IgH locus during class switch recombination (CSR), without affecting DNA cleavage. Both RNA-binding and catalytic activities of FBL were essential for CSR. Moreover, MED19 supported DNA cleavage and synapsis by regulating snoRNAs that guide 2'-O-methylation. Mechanistically, FBL methylated -germline transcripts (-GLTs), cis-acting noncoding RNAs forming nuclear condensates harboring machinery for RNA processing, RNP remodeling, and chromatin dynamics. FBL-mediated 2'-O-methylation governed condensate protein composition. FBL suppression aberrantly enriched nucleolar proteins, including WDR74. Crucially, low WDR74 expression in B cells promoted - and -GLT condensate fusion, thereby enhancing S-S synapsis, CSR, and IgH/c-Myc translocation, potentially contributing to poor myeloma prognosis. Altogether, our findings revealed that RNA 2'-O-methylation dictates GLT condensate composition and fusion dynamics to establish a recombination center, driving genomic DNA synapsis in B cells.

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Kobayashi, M., Xu, J., Husain, A., Moriwaki, T., Yin, Z., Chen, X., Wang, W., Fujita, T., Fujii, H., Ulum, L. L., Oyoshi, T., Omura, K., Iida, K., Kosako, H., Honjo, T.. 2026-11-06. 2'-O-Methylated ncRNA condensates form a recombination center for IgH synapsis. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.11.05.761835

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