Fig. 8.

Schematic model for the mechanism by which METTL17 coordinates ferroptosis and tumorigenesis by regulating mitochondrial translation in CRC.

METTL17 methylates m⁴C/m⁵C on 12S-rRNA, m³C/m⁷G on mt-RNA, and m⁶A on mt-mRNA within mitochondria, which affect mitochondrial translation efficiency and respiratory chain activity. METTL17 loss results in the suppression of these modifications and mitochondrial translation, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism abnormality, thus inhibiting CRC cell growth and sensitizing CRC cells to ferroptosis.