Detection, distribution, and functions of RNA N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) in plant development and environmental signal responses

The epitranscriptomic mark N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most common type of messenger RNA (mRNA) post-transcriptional modification in eukaryotes. With the discovery of the demethylase FTO (FAT MASS AND OBESITY-ASSOCIATED PROTEIN) in Homo Sapiens, this modification has been proven to be dynamically reversible. With technological advances, research on m(6)A modification in plants also rapidly developed. m(6)A modification is widely distributed in plants, which is usually enriched near the stop codons and 3 '-UTRs, and has conserved modification sequences. The related proteins of m(6)A modification mainly consist of three components: methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers), and reading proteins (readers). m(6)A modification mainly regulates the growth and development of plants by modulating the RNA metabolic processes and playing an important role in their responses to environmental signals. In this review, we briefly outline the development of m(6)A modification detection techniques; comparatively analyze the distribution characteristics of m(6)A in plants; summarize the methyltransferases, demethylases, and binding proteins related to m(6)A; elaborate on how m(6)A modification functions in plant growth, development, and response to environmental signals; and provide a summary and outlook on the research of m(6)A in plants