Transcriptome-wide analysis of mRNA N^(6)-methyladenosine modification in the embryonic development of Spodoptera frugiperda

N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)RNA is the most abundant modification of mRNA,and has been demonstrated in regulating various post-transcriptional processes.Many studies have shown that m^(6)A methylation plays key roles in sex determination,neuronal functions,and embryonic development in Drosophila and mammals.Here,we analyzed transcriptome-wide profile of m^(6)A modification in the embryonic development of the destructive agricultural pest Spodoptera frugiperda.We found that the 2 key mRNA m^(6)A methyltransferases SfrMETTL3 and SfrMETTL14 have high homologies with other insects and mammals,suggesting that SfrMETTL3 and SfrMETTL14 may have conserved function among different species.From methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing analysis,we obtained 46869 m^(6)A peaks representing 8587 transcripts in the 2-h embryos after oviposition,and 41389 m^(6)A peaks representing 9230 transcripts in the 24-h embryos.In addition,5995 m^(6)A peaks were differentially expressed including 3752 upregulated and 2243 downregulated peaks.Functional analysis with Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes suggested that differentially expressed m^(6)A peak-modified genes were enriched in cell and organ development between the 2-and 24-h embryos.By conjoint analysis of methylated RNA immunoprecipitation-seq and RNA-seq data,we found that RNA m^(6)A methylation may regulate the transcriptional levels of genes related to tissue and organ development from 2-to 24-h embryos.Our study reveals the role of RNA m^(6)A epigenetic regulation in the embryonic development of S.frugiperda,and provides new insights for the embryonic development of insects.

Research progress of m^(6) A methylation in prostate cancer

N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is a ubiquitous RNA modification in mammals.This modification is“written”by methyltransferases and then“read”by m^(6)A-binding proteins,followed by a series of regulation,such as alternative splicing,translation,RNA stability,and RNA translocation.At last,the modification is“erased”by demethylases.m^(6)A modification is essential for normal physiological processes in mammals and is also a very important epigenetic modification in the development of cancer.In recent years,cancer-related m^(6)A regulation has been widely studied,and various mechanisms of m^(6)A regulation in cancer have also been recognized.In this review,we summarize the changes of m^(6)A modification in prostate cancer and discuss the effect of m6A regulation on prostate cancer progression,aiming to profile the potential relevance between m^(6)A regulation and prostate cancer development.Intensive studies on m^(6)A regulation in prostate cancer may uncover the potential role of m^(6)A methylation in the cancer diagnosis and cancer therapy.

Roles and implications of mRNA N^(6)-methyladenosine in cancer

RNA N^(6)-methyladenosine modification is the most prevalent internal modification of eukaryotic RNAs and has emerged as a novel field of RNA epigenetics,garnering increased attention.To date,m^(6)A modification has been shown to impact multiple RNA metabolic processes and play a vital role in numerous biological processes.Recent evidence suggests that aberrant m^(6)A modification is a hallmark of cancer,and it plays a critical role in cancer development and progression through multiple mechanisms.Here,we review the biological functions of mRNA m^(6)A modification in various types of cancers,with a particular focus on metabolic reprogramming,programmed cell death and tumor metastasis.Furthermore,we discuss the potential of targetingm^(6)Amodification or its regulatory proteins as a novel approach of cancer therapy and the progress of research on m^(6)A modification in tumor immunity and immunotherapy.Finally,we summarize the development of different m^(6)A detection methods and their advantages and disadvantages.

The exploration of N6-deoxyadenosine methylation in mammalian genomes

N^(6)-methyladenine(N^(6)-mA,m^(6)dA,or 6mA),a prevalent DNA modification in prokaryotes,has recently been identified in higher eukaryotes,including mammals.Although 6mA has been well-studied in prokaryotes,the function and regulatory mechanism of 6mA in eukaryotes are still poorly understood.Recent studies indicate that 6mA can serve as an epigenetic mark and play critical roles in various biological processes,from transposable-element suppression to environmental stress response.Here,we review the significant advances in methodology for 6mA detection and major progress in understanding the regulation and function of this non-canonical DNA methylation in eukaryotes,predominantly mammals.