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Su H, Meng L, Qu Z, Zhang W, Liu N, Cao P, Jin J. Genome-wide identification of the N 6-methyladenosine regulatory genes reveals NtFIP37B increases drought resistance of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 24:134. [PMID: 38403644 PMCID: PMC10895791 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-024-04813-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the common internal RNA modifications found in eukaryotes. The m6A modification can regulate various biological processes in organisms through the modulation of alternative splicing, alternative polyadenylation, folding, translation, localization, transport, and decay of multiple types of RNA, without altering the nucleotide sequence. The three components involved in m6A modification, namely writer, eraser, and reader, mediate the abundance of RNA m6A modification through complex collaborative actions. Currently, research on m6A regulatory genes in plants is still in its infancy. RESULTS In this study, we identified 52 candidate m6A regulatory genes in common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.). Gene structure, conserved domains, and motif analysis showed structural and functional diversity among different subgroups of tobacco m6A regulatory genes. The amplification of m6A regulatory genes were mainly driven by polyploidization and dispersed duplication, and duplicated genes evolved through purified selection. Based on the potential regulatory network and expression pattern analysis of m6A regulatory genes, a significant number of m6A regulatory genes might play important roles in growth, development, and stress response processes. Furthermore, we have confirmed the critical role of NtFIP37B, an m6A writer gene in tobacco, in enhancing drought resistance. CONCLUSIONS This study provides useful information for better understanding the evolution of m6A regulatory genes and the role of m6A modification in tobacco stress response, and lays the foundation for further elucidating the function of m6A regulatory genes in tobacco.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Su
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102200, China
- China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Lijun Meng
- China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Zechao Qu
- China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- China National Tobacco Quality Supervision & Test Center, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Nan Liu
- China National Tobacco Quality Supervision & Test Center, Zhengzhou, 450003, China
| | - Peijian Cao
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102200, China.
- China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Jingjing Jin
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102200, China.
- China Tobacco Gene Research Center, Zhengzhou Tobacco Research Institute of CNTC, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
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2
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Yue J, Lu Y, Sun Z, Guo Y, San León D, Pasin F, Zhao M. Methyltransferase-like (METTL) homologues participate in Nicotiana benthamiana antiviral responses. PLANT SIGNALING & BEHAVIOR 2023; 18:2214760. [PMID: 37210738 DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2023.2214760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Methyltransferase (MTase) enzymes catalyze the addition of a methyl group to a variety of biological substrates. MTase-like (METTL) proteins are Class I MTases whose enzymatic activities contribute to the epigenetic and epitranscriptomic regulation of multiple cellular processes. N6-adenosine methylation (m6A) is a common chemical modification of eukaryotic and viral RNA whose abundance is jointly regulated by MTases and METTLs, demethylases, and m6A binding proteins. m6A affects various cellular processes including RNA degradation, post-transcriptional processing, and antiviral immunity. Here, we used Nicotiana benthamiana and plum pox virus (PPV), an RNA virus of the Potyviridae family, to investigated the roles of MTases in plant-virus interaction. RNA sequencing analysis identified MTase transcripts that are differentially expressed during PPV infection; among these, accumulation of a METTL gene was significantly downregulated. Two N. benthamiana METTL transcripts (NbMETTL1 and NbMETTL2) were cloned and further characterized. Sequence and structural analyses of the two encoded proteins identified a conserved S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) binding domain, showing they are SAM-dependent MTases phylogenetically related to human METTL16 and Arabidopsis thaliana FIONA1. Overexpression of NbMETTL1 and NbMETTL2 caused a decrease of PPV accumulation. In sum, our results indicate that METTL homologues participate in plant antiviral responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianying Yue
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yan Lu
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Zhenqi Sun
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yuqing Guo
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
| | - David San León
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Fabio Pasin
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas - Universitat Politècnica de València (CSIC-UPV), Valencia, Spain
| | - Mingmin Zhao
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
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3
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He H, Jia M, Liu J, Zhou X, Li F. Roles of RNA m 6A modifications in plant-virus interactions. STRESS BIOLOGY 2023; 3:57. [PMID: 38105385 PMCID: PMC10725857 DOI: 10.1007/s44154-023-00133-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Viral RNAs have been known to contain N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modifications since the 1970s. The function of these modifications remained unknown until the development of genome-wide methods to map m6A residues. Increasing evidence has recently revealed a strong association between m6A modifications and plant viral infection. This highlight introduces advances in the roles of RNA m6A modifications in plant-virus interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao He
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Mingxuan Jia
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xueping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Fangfang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.
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4
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Prall W, Sheikh AH, Bazin J, Bigeard J, Almeida-Trapp M, Crespi M, Hirt H, Gregory BD. Pathogen-induced m6A dynamics affect plant immunity. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:4155-4172. [PMID: 37610247 PMCID: PMC10615206 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Posttranscriptional regulation of mRNA mediated by methylation at the N6 position of adenine (N6-methyladenosine [m6A]) has profound effects on transcriptome regulation in plants. Focused studies across eukaryotes offer glimpses into the processes governed by m6A throughout developmental and disease states. However, we lack an understanding of the dynamics and the regulatory potential of m6A during biotic stress in plants. Here, we provide a comprehensive look into the effects of m6A on both the short-term and long-term responses to pathogen signaling in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We demonstrate that m6A-deficient plants are more resistant to bacterial and fungal pathogen infections and have altered immune responses. Furthermore, m6A deposition is specifically coordinated on transcripts involved in defense and immunity prior to and proceeding the pathogen signal flagellin. Consequently, the dynamic modulation of m6A on specific stress-responsive transcripts is correlated with changes in abundance and cleavage of these transcripts. Overall, we show that the m6A methylome is regulated prior to and during simulated and active pathogen stress and functions in the coordination and balancing of normal growth and pathogen responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wil Prall
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,USA
| | - Arsheed H Sheikh
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900,Saudi Arabia
| | - Jeremie Bazin
- CNRS, INRA, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay IPS2, Universite Paris Sud, Universite Evry, Universite Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, Universite Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette,France
| | - Jean Bigeard
- CNRS, INRA, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay IPS2, Universite Paris Sud, Universite Evry, Universite Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, Universite Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette,France
| | - Marilia Almeida-Trapp
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900,Saudi Arabia
| | - Martin Crespi
- CNRS, INRA, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay IPS2, Universite Paris Sud, Universite Evry, Universite Paris-Diderot, Sorbonne Paris-Cite, Universite Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette,France
| | - Heribert Hirt
- Center for Desert Agriculture, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900,Saudi Arabia
- Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, 1030 Vienna,Austria
| | - Brian D Gregory
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104,USA
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5
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He M, Li Z, Xie X. The Roles of N6-Methyladenosine Modification in Plant-RNA Virus Interactions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15608. [PMID: 37958594 PMCID: PMC10649972 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a dynamic post-transcriptional RNA modification. Recently, its role in viruses has led to the study of viral epitranscriptomics. m6A has been observed in viral genomes and alters the transcriptomes of both the host cell and virus during infection. The effects of m6A modifications on host plant mRNA can either increase the likelihood of viral infection or enhance the resistance of the host to the virus. However, to date, the regulatory mechanisms of m6A in viral infection and host immune responses have not been fully elucidated. With the development of sequencing-based biotechnologies, the study of m6A in plant viruses has received increasing attention. In this mini review, we summarize the positive and negative consequences of m6A modification in different RNA viral infections. Given its increasingly important roles in multiple viruses, m6A represents a new potential target for antiviral defense.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min He
- Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China;
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China;
| | - Xin Xie
- Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China;
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6
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Xu P, Huang S, Zhai X, Fan Y, Li X, Yang H, Cao Y, Fan G. N6-methyladenosine modification changes during the recovery processes for Paulownia witches' broom disease under the methyl methanesulfonate treatment. PLANT DIRECT 2023; 7:e508. [PMID: 37426893 PMCID: PMC10325887 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Phytoplasmas induce diseases in more than 1000 plant species and cause substantial ecological damage and economic losses, but the specific pathogenesis of phytoplasma has not yet been clarified. N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal modification of the eukaryotic Messenger RNA (mRNA). As one of the species susceptible to phytoplasma infection, the pathogenesis and mechanism of Paulownia has been extensively studied by scholars, but the m6A transcriptome map of Paulownia fortunei (P. fortunei) has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of phytoplasma infection on m6A modification of P. fortunei and obtained the whole transcriptome m6A map in P. fortunei by m6A-seq. The m6A-seq results of Paulownia witches' broom (PaWB) disease and healthy samples indicate that PaWB infection increased the degree of m6A modification of P. fortunei. The correlation analysis between the RNA-seq and m6A-seq data detected that a total of 315 differentially methylated genes were predicted to be significantly differentially expressed at the transcriptome level. Moreover, the functions of PaWB-related genes were predicted by functional enrichment analysis, and two genes related to maintenance of the basic mechanism of stem cells in shoot apical meristem were discovered. One of the genes encodes the receptor protein kinase CLV2 (Paulownia_LG2G000076), and the other gene encodes the homeobox transcription factor STM (Paulownia_LG15G000976). In addition, genes F-box (Paulownia_LG17G000760) and MSH5 (Paulownia_LG8G001160) had exon skipping and mutually exclusive exon types of alternative splicing in PaWB-infected seedling treated with methyl methanesulfonate, and m6A modification was found in m6A-seq results. Moreover, Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) verified that the alternative splicing of these two genes was associated with m6A modification. This comprehensive map provides a solid foundation for revealing the potential function of the mRNA m6A modification in the process of PaWB. In future studies, we plan to verify genes directly related to PaWB and methylation-related enzymes in Paulownia to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of PaWB caused by phytoplasma invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pingluo Xu
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Shunmou Huang
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Xiaoqiao Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Forest Germplasm Resources Protection and Improved Variety Selection in Henan ProvinceHenan Province Academy of ForestryZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Yujie Fan
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
- College of ForestryHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Xiaofan Li
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Haibo Yang
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Yabing Cao
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
| | - Guoqiang Fan
- Institute of PaulowniaHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
- College of ForestryHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouP. R. China
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7
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He H, Ge L, Li Z, Zhou X, Li F. Pepino mosaic virus antagonizes plant m 6A modification by promoting the autophagic degradation of the m 6A writer HAKAI. ABIOTECH 2023; 4:83-96. [PMID: 37581026 PMCID: PMC10423194 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-023-00097-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy plays an active anti-viral role in plants. Increasing evidence suggests that viruses can inhibit or manipulate autophagy, thereby winning the arms race between plants and viruses. Here, we demonstrate that overexpression of an m6A writer from Solanum lycopersicum, SlHAKAI, could negatively regulate pepino mosaic virus (PepMV) infection, inhibit viral RNA and protein accumulations by affecting viral m6A levels in tomato plants and vice versa. The PepMV-encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) directly interacts with SlHAKAI and reduces its protein accumulation. The RdRP-mediated decreased protein accumulation of SlHAKAI is sensitive to the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine and is compromised by knocking down a core autophagy gene. Furthermore, PepMV RdRP could interact with an essential autophagy-related protein, SlBeclin1. RdRP, SlHAKAI, and SlBeclin1 interaction complexes form bright granules in the cytoplasm. Silencing of Beclin1 in Nicotiana benthamiana plants abolishes the RdRP-mediated degradation of SlHAKAI, indicating the requirement of Beclin1 in this process. This study uncovers that the PepMV RdRP exploits the autophagy pathway by interacting with SlBeclin1 to promote the autophagic degradation of the SlHAKAI protein, thereby inhibiting the m6A modification-mediated plant defense responses. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-023-00097-6.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao He
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Linhao Ge
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Zhaolei Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
| | - Xueping Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 China
| | - Fangfang Li
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100193 China
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8
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Tang J, Chen S, Jia G. Detection, regulation, and functions of RNA N 6-methyladenosine modification in plants. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2023; 4:100546. [PMID: 36627844 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2023.100546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal chemical modification in eukaryotic mRNA and plays important roles in gene expression regulation, including transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. m6A is a reversible modification that is installed, removed, and recognized by methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers), and m6A-binding proteins (readers), respectively. Recently, the breadth of research on m6A in plants has expanded, and the vital roles of m6A in plant development, biotic and abiotic stress responses, and crop trait improvement have been investigated. In this review, we discuss recent developments in research on m6A and highlight the detection methods, distribution, regulatory proteins, and molecular and biological functions of m6A in plants. We also offer some perspectives on future investigations, providing direction for subsequent research on m6A in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Tang
- Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Shuyan Chen
- Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Guifang Jia
- Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100871, China.
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9
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Chuong NN, Doan PPT, Wang L, Kim JH, Kim J. Current Insights into m 6A RNA Methylation and Its Emerging Role in Plant Circadian Clock. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:624. [PMID: 36771711 PMCID: PMC9920239 DOI: 10.3390/plants12030624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
N6-adenosine methylation (m6A) is a prevalent form of RNA modification found in the expressed transcripts of many eukaryotic organisms. Moreover, m6A methylation is a dynamic and reversible process that requires the functioning of various proteins and their complexes that are evolutionarily conserved between species and include methylases, demethylases, and m6A-binding proteins. Over the past decade, the m6A methylation process in plants has been extensively studied and the understanding thereof has drastically increased, although the regulatory function of some components relies on information derived from animal systems. Notably, m6A has been found to be involved in a variety of factors in RNA processing, such as RNA stability, alternative polyadenylation, and miRNA regulation. The circadian clock in plants is a molecular timekeeping system that regulates the daily and rhythmic activity of many cellular and physiological processes in response to environmental changes such as the day-night cycle. The circadian clock regulates the rhythmic expression of genes through post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA. Recently, m6A methylation has emerged as an additional layer of post-transcriptional regulation that is necessary for the proper functioning of the plant circadian clock. In this review, we have compiled and summarized recent insights into the molecular mechanisms behind m6A modification and its various roles in the regulation of RNA. We discuss the potential role of m6A modification in regulating the plant circadian clock and outline potential future directions for the study of mRNA methylation in plants. A deeper understanding of the mechanism of m6A RNA regulation and its role in plant circadian clocks will contribute to a greater understanding of the plant circadian clock.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen Nguyen Chuong
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Convergence Technology & Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
| | - Phan Phuong Thao Doan
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Convergence Technology & Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
| | - Lanshuo Wang
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Convergence Technology & Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Kim
- Subtropical Horticulture Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeongsik Kim
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Advanced Convergence Technology & Science, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
- Subtropical Horticulture Research Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
- Faculty of Science Education, Jeju National University, Jeju 690756, Republic of Korea
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10
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Hu J, Cai J, Xu T, Kang H. Epitranscriptomic mRNA modifications governing plant stress responses: underlying mechanism and potential application. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:2245-2257. [PMID: 36002976 PMCID: PMC9674322 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Plants inevitably encounter environmental adversities, including abiotic and biotic stresses, which significantly impede plant growth and reduce crop yield. Thus, fine-tuning the fate and function of stress-responsive RNAs is indispensable for plant survival under such adverse conditions. Recently, post-transcriptional RNA modifications have been studied as a potent route to regulate plant gene expression under stress. Among over 160 mRNA modifications identified to date, N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) in mRNAs is notable because of its multifaceted roles in plant development and stress response. Recent transcriptome-wide mapping has revealed the distribution and patterns of m6 A in diverse stress-responsive mRNAs in plants, building a foundation for elucidating the molecular link between m6 A and stress response. Moreover, the identification and characterization of m6 A writers, readers and erasers in Arabidopsis and other model crops have offered insights into the biological roles of m6 A in plant abiotic stress responses. Here, we review the recent progress of research on mRNA modifications, particularly m6 A, and their dynamics, distribution, regulation and biological functions in plant stress responses. Further, we posit potential strategies for breeding stress-tolerant crops by engineering mRNA modifications and propose the future direction of research on RNA modifications to gain a much deeper understanding of plant stress biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Hu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life SciencesJiangsu Normal UniversityXuzhouJiangsu ProvinceChina
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChonnam National UniversityGwangjuKorea
| | - Jing Cai
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChonnam National UniversityGwangjuKorea
| | - Tao Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life SciencesJiangsu Normal UniversityXuzhouJiangsu ProvinceChina
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Phylogenomics and Comparative Genomics, School of Life SciencesJiangsu Normal UniversityXuzhouJiangsu ProvinceChina
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life SciencesChonnam National UniversityGwangjuKorea
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11
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Comparative Genomics and Functional Studies of Putative m 6A Methyltransferase (METTL) Genes in Cotton. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214111. [PMID: 36430588 PMCID: PMC9694044 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification plays important regulatory roles in plant development and adapting to the environment, which requires methyltransferases to achieve the methylation process. However, there has been no research regarding m6A RNA methyltransferases in cotton. Here, a systematic analysis of the m6A methyltransferase (METTL) gene family was performed on twelve cotton species, resulting in six METTLs identified in five allotetraploid cottons, respectively, and three to four METTLs in the seven diploid species. Phylogenetic analysis of protein-coding sequences revealed that METTL genes from cottons, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Homo sapiens could be classified into three clades (METTL3, METTL14, and METTL-like clades). Cis-element analysis predicated the possible functions of METTL genes in G. hirsutum. RNA-seq data revealed that GhMETTL14 (GH_A07G0817/GH_D07G0819) and GhMETTL3 (GH_A12G2586/GH_D12G2605) had high expressions in root, stem, leaf, torus, petal, stamen, pistil, and calycle tissues. GhMETTL14 also had the highest expression in 20 and 25 dpa fiber cells, implying a potential role at the cell wall thickening stage. Suppressing GhMETTL3 and GhMETTL14 by VIGS caused growth arrest and even death in G. hirsutum, along with decreased m6A abundance from the leaf tissues of VIGS plants. Overexpression of GhMETTL3 and GhMETTL14 produced distinct differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in A. thaliana, indicating their possible divergent functions after gene duplication. Overall, GhMETTLs play indispensable but divergent roles during the growth of cotton plants, which provides the basis for the systematic investigation of m6A in subsequent studies to improve the agronomic traits in cotton.
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12
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Zhang T, Shi C, Hu H, Zhang Z, Wang Z, Chen Z, Feng H, Liu P, Guo J, Lu Q, Zhong K, Chen Z, Liu J, Yu J, Chen J, Chen F, Yang J. N6-methyladenosine RNA modification promotes viral genomic RNA stability and infection. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6576. [PMID: 36323720 PMCID: PMC9629889 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34362-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Molecular manipulation of susceptibility (S) genes that are antipodes to resistance (R) genes has been adopted as an alternative strategy for controlling crop diseases. Here, we show the S gene encoding Triticum aestivum m6A methyltransferase B (TaMTB) is identified by a genome-wide association study and subsequently shown to be a positive regulator for wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV) infection. TaMTB is localized in the nucleus, is translocated into the cytoplasmic aggregates by binding to WYMV NIb to upregulate the m6A level of WYMV RNA1 and stabilize the viral RNA, thus promoting viral infection. A natural mutant allele TaMTB-SNP176C is found to confer an enhanced susceptibility to WYMV infection through genetic variation analysis on 243 wheat varieties. Our discovery highlights this allele can be a useful target for the molecular wheat breeding in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianye Zhang
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Chaonan Shi
- grid.108266.b0000 0004 1803 0494National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450000 China
| | - Haichao Hu
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- grid.410598.10000 0004 4911 9766Hunan Plant Protection Institute, Hunan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changsha, 410000 China
| | - Ziqiong Wang
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Zhiqing Chen
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Huimin Feng
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Peng Liu
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Jun Guo
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Qisen Lu
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Kaili Zhong
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - ZhiHui Chen
- grid.8241.f0000 0004 0397 2876University of Dundee, School of Life Sciences, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH UK
| | - Jiaqian Liu
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Jiancheng Yu
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267Zhejiang Engineering Research Center of Advanced Mass spectrometry and Clinical Application, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Jianping Chen
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
| | - Feng Chen
- grid.108266.b0000 0004 1803 0494National Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science/Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Grain Crops/Agronomy College, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, 450000 China
| | - Jian Yang
- grid.203507.30000 0000 8950 5267State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Key Laboratory of Biotechnology in Plant Protection of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Zhejiang Province, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211 China
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13
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Yue J, Wei Y, Sun Z, Chen Y, Wei X, Wang H, Pasin F, Zhao M. AlkB RNA demethylase homologues and N 6 -methyladenosine are involved in Potyvirus infection. MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY 2022; 23:1555-1564. [PMID: 35700092 PMCID: PMC9452765 DOI: 10.1111/mpp.13239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Proteins of the alkylation B (AlkB) superfamily show RNA demethylase activity removing methyl adducts from N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A). m6 A is a reversible epigenetic mark of RNA that regulates human virus replication but has unclear roles in plant virus infection. We focused on Potyvirus-the largest genus of plant RNA viruses-and report here the identification of AlkB domains within P1 of endive necrotic mosaic virus (ENMV) and an additional virus of a putative novel species within Potyvirus. We show that Nicotiana benthamiana m6 A levels are reduced by infection of plum pox virus (PPV) and potato virus Y (PVY). The two potyviruses lack AlkB and the results suggest a general involvement of RNA methylation in potyvirus infection and evolution. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing of virus-infected samples showed that m6 A peaks are enriched in plant transcript 3' untranslated regions and in discrete internal and 3' terminal regions of PPV and PVY genomes. Down-regulation of N. benthamiana AlkB homologues of the plant-specific ALKBH9 clade caused a significant decrease in PPV and PVY accumulation. In summary, our study provides evolutionary and experimental evidence that supports the m6 A implication and the proviral roles of AlkB homologues in Potyvirus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianying Yue
- College of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotChina
| | - Yao Wei
- College of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotChina
| | - Zhenqi Sun
- College of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotChina
| | - Yahan Chen
- College of Plant ProtectionGansu Agricultural UniversityLanzhouChina
| | - Xuefeng Wei
- Development of Fine ChemicalsGuizhou UniversityGuizhouChina
| | - Haijuan Wang
- College of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotChina
| | - Fabio Pasin
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas (IBMCP)Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas—Universitat Politècnica de València (CSIC‐UPV)ValenciaSpain
- School of ScienceUniversity of PaduaPaduaItaly
| | - Mingmin Zhao
- College of Horticulture and Plant ProtectionInner Mongolia Agricultural UniversityHohhotChina
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14
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Han X, Shi Q, He Z, Song W, Chen Q, Qi Z. Transcriptome-wide N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A) methylation in soybean under Meloidogyne incognita infection. ABIOTECH 2022; 3:197-211. [PMID: 36313932 PMCID: PMC9590533 DOI: 10.1007/s42994-022-00077-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a reversible epigenetic modification of mRNA and other RNAs that plays a significant role in regulating gene expression and biological processes. However, m6A abundance, dynamics, and transcriptional regulatory mechanisms remain unexplored in the context of soybean resistance to Meloidogyne incognita. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of transcriptome-wide m6A and metabolome profiles of soybean root tissues with and without M. incognita infection. Global m6A hypermethylation was widely induced in response to M. incognita infection and was enriched around the 3' end of coding sequences and in 3' UTR regions. There were 2069 significantly modified m6A sites, 594 differentially expressed genes, and 103 differentially accumulated metabolites between infected and uninfected roots, including coumestrol, psoralidin, and 2-hydroxyethylphosphonate. Among 101 m6A-modified DEGs, 34 genes were hypomethylated and upregulated, and 39 genes were hypermethylated and downregulated, indicating a highly negative correlation between m6A methylation and gene transcript abundance. A number of these m6A-modified DEGs, including WRKY70, ERF60, POD47 and LRR receptor-like serine/threonine-protein kinases, were involved in plant defense responses. Our study provides new insights into the critical role of m6A modification in early soybean responses to M. incognita. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-022-00077-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Han
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030 China
| | - Qianqian Shi
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030 China
- Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Ziyi He
- Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Wenwen Song
- Shandong Engineering Research Center for Environment-Friendly Agricultural Pest Management, College of Plant Health and Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109 China
| | - Qingshan Chen
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030 China
| | - Zhaoming Qi
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030 China
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15
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Ma W, Cui S, Lu Z, Yan X, Cai L, Lu Y, Cai K, Zhou H, Ma R, Zhou S, Wang X. YTH Domain Proteins Play an Essential Role in Rice Growth and Stress Response. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11172206. [PMID: 36079588 PMCID: PMC9460353 DOI: 10.3390/plants11172206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
As the most prevalent epi-transcriptional modification, m6A modifications play essential roles in regulating RNA fate. The molecular functions of YTH521-B homology (YTH) domain proteins, the most known READER proteins of m6A modifications, have been well-studied in animals. Although plants contain more YTH domain proteins than other eukaryotes, little is known about their biological importance. In dicot species Arabidopsis thaliana, the YTHDFA clade members ECT2/3/4 and CPSF30-L are well-studied and important for cell proliferation, plant organogenesis, and nitrate transport. More emphasis is needed on the biological functions of plant YTH proteins, especially monocot YTHs. Here we presented a detailed phylogenetic relationship of eukaryotic YTH proteins and clustered plant YTHDFC clade into three subclades. To determine the importance of monocot YTH proteins, YTH knockout mutants and RNAi-induced knockdown plants were constructed and used for phenotyping, transcriptomic analysis, and stress treatments. Knocking out or knocking down OsYTHs led to the downregulation of multicellular organismal regulation genes and resulted in growth defects. In addition, loss-of-function ythdfa mutants led to better salinity tolerance whereas ythdfc mutants were more sensitive to abiotic stress. Overall, our study establishes the functional relevance of rice YTH genes in plant growth regulation and stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Ma
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Song Cui
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Zhenfei Lu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Xiaofeng Yan
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Long Cai
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yongfa Lu
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Kefeng Cai
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Huacheng Zhou
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Rongrong Ma
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
| | - Shirong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Jiangsu Plant Gene Engineering Research Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (X.W.)
| | - Xiaole Wang
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Ningbo Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Ningbo 315000, China
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (X.W.)
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16
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Zhou L, Gao G, Tang R, Wang W, Wang Y, Tian S, Qin G. m 6 A-mediated regulation of crop development and stress responses. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2022; 20:1447-1455. [PMID: 35178842 PMCID: PMC9342612 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.13792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic chemical modifications in eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) constitute an essential layer of gene regulation, among which N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) was unveiled to be the most abundant. m6 A functionally modulates important biological processes in various mammals and plants through the regulation of mRNA metabolism, mainly mRNA degradation and translation efficiency. Physiological functions of m6 A methylation are diversified and affected by intricate sequence contexts and m6 A machineries. A number of studies have dissected the functional roles and the underlying mechanisms of m6 A modifications in regulating plant development and stress responses. Recently, it was demonstrated that the human FTO-mediated plant m6 A removal caused dramatic yield increases in rice and potato, indicating that modulation of m6 A methylation could be an efficient strategy for crop improvement. In this review, we summarize the current progress concerning the m6 A-mediated regulation of crop development and stress responses, and provide an outlook on the potential application of m6 A epitranscriptome in the future improvement of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leilei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Guangtong Gao
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Renkun Tang
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Weihao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Yuying Wang
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Shiping Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Guozheng Qin
- Key Laboratory of Plant ResourcesInstitute of BotanyChinese Academy of SciencesHaidian District, BeijingChina
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
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17
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Shoaib Y, Usman B, Kang H, Jung KH. Epitranscriptomics: An Additional Regulatory Layer in Plants' Development and Stress Response. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1033. [PMID: 35448761 PMCID: PMC9027318 DOI: 10.3390/plants11081033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/04/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Epitranscriptomics has added a new layer of regulatory machinery to eukaryotes, and the advancement of sequencing technology has revealed more than 170 post-transcriptional modifications in various types of RNAs, including messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), and long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). Among these, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) and N5-methylcytidine (m5C) are the most prevalent internal mRNA modifications. These regulate various aspects of RNA metabolism, mainly mRNA degradation and translation. Recent advances have shown that regulation of RNA fate mediated by these epitranscriptomic marks has pervasive effects on a plant's development and responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses. Recently, it was demonstrated that the removal of human-FTO-mediated m6A from transcripts in transgenic rice and potatoes caused a dramatic increase in their yield, and that the m6A reader protein mediates stress responses in wheat and apple, indicating that regulation of m6A levels could be an efficient strategy for crop improvement. However, changing the overall m6A levels might have unpredictable effects; therefore, the identification of precise m6A levels at a single-base resolution is essential. In this review, we emphasize the roles of epitranscriptomic modifications in modulating molecular, physiological, and stress responses in plants, and provide an outlook on epitranscriptome engineering as a promising tool to ensure food security by editing specific m6A and m5C sites through robust genome-editing technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasira Shoaib
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Korea; (Y.S.); (B.U.)
| | - Babar Usman
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Korea; (Y.S.); (B.U.)
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea;
| | - Ki-Hong Jung
- Graduate School of Biotechnology and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin-si 17104, Korea; (Y.S.); (B.U.)
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18
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Han C, Zhang F, Qiao X, Zhao Y, Qiao Q, Huang X, Zhang S. Multi-Omics Analysis Reveals the Dynamic Changes of RNA N 6 -Methyladenosine in Pear ( Pyrus bretschneideri) Defense Responses to Erwinia amylovora Pathogen Infection. Front Microbiol 2022; 12:803512. [PMID: 35222304 PMCID: PMC8867029 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.803512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methylated adenine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification of mRNA methylation and can regulate many biological processes in plants, such as mRNA processing, development, and stress response. Some studies have increased our understanding of its various roles in model plants in recent years. Nevertheless, the distribution of m6A and the impact of m6A on the regulation of plant defense responses against pathogen inoculation are virtually unknown in pear. In this study, MeRIP-seq and RNA-seq data from healthy and inoculated plants were analyzed to assess the changes in the transcript levels and posttranscriptional modification of pear in response to the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora. Following the analysis of 97,261 m6A peaks, we found that m6A preferred to modify duplicate genes rather than singleton genes and that m6A-methylated genes underwent stronger purifying selection. A total of 2,935 specific m6A sites were detected at the transcriptome level after inoculation, which may increase defense-related transcript abundance to enhance pear resistance. In addition, 1,850 transcripts were detected only in the mock-inoculated groups. The hypomethylated transcripts were mainly related to transcriptional regulation and various biological processes, such as chloroplast organization and sucrose biosynthetic processes. In addition, we found that the extent of m6A methylation was significantly positively correlated with the transcript level, suggesting a regulatory role for m6A in the plant response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Han
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xin Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yancun Zhao
- Institute of Plant Protection, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Qinhai Qiao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaosan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Shaoling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Horticulture, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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Yue J, Wei Y, Zhao M. The Reversible Methylation of m6A Is Involved in Plant Virus Infection. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11020271. [PMID: 35205137 PMCID: PMC8869485 DOI: 10.3390/biology11020271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification in the mRNAs of many eukaryotic species. The abundance and effects of m6A are determined by dynamic interactions between its methyltransferases (“writers”), demethylases (“erasers”), and binding proteins (“readers”). It has been indicated that there is a strong correlation between m6A and virus infection in mammals. In the case of plant virus infection, it appears that m6A plays a dual role. On the one hand, m6A acts as a plant immune response induced by virus infection, inhibiting viral replication or translation through methylation of viral genome RNAs. On the other hand, m6A acts as part of an infection strategy employed by plant viruses to overcome the host immune system by interacting with m6A-related proteins. We proposed that antagonists of m6A-related proteins might be used to design new strategies for plant virus control in the future. Abstract In recent years, m6A RNA methylation has attracted broad interest and is becoming a hot research topic. It has been demonstrated that there is a strong association between m6A and viral infection in the human system. The life cycles of plant RNA viruses are often coordinated with the mechanisms of their RNA modification. Here, we reviewed recent advances in m6A methylation in plant viruses. It appears that m6A methylation plays a dual role during viral infection in plants. On the one hand, m6A methylation acts as an antiviral immune response induced by virus infection, which inhibits viral replication or translation through the methylation of viral genome RNAs. On the other hand, plant viruses could disrupt the m6A methylation through interacting with the key proteins of the m6A pathway to avoid modification. Those plant viruses containing ALKB domain are discussed as well. Based on this mechanism, we propose that new strategies for plant virus control could be designed with competitive antagonists of m6A-associated proteins.
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20
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He Y, Li L, Yao Y, Li Y, Zhang H, Fan M. Transcriptome-wide N6-methyladenosine (m 6A) methylation in watermelon under CGMMV infection. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:516. [PMID: 34749644 PMCID: PMC8574010 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-03289-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) causes substantial global losses in cucurbit crops, especially watermelon. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation in RNA is one of the most important post-transcriptional modification mechanisms in eukaryotes. It has been shown to have important regulatory functions in some model plants, but there has been no research regarding m6A modifications in watermelon. RESULTS We measured the global m6A level in resistant watermelon after CGMMV infection using a colorimetric method. And the results found that the global m6A level significantly decreased in resistant watermelon after CGMMV infection. Specifically, m6A libraries were constructed for the resistant watermelon leaves collected 48 h after CGMMV infection and the whole-genome m6A-seq were carried out. Numerous m6A modified peaks were identified from CGMMV-infected and control (uninfected) samples. The modification distributions and motifs of these m6A peaks were highly conserved in watermelon transcripts but the modification was more abundant than in other reported crop plants. In early response to CGMMV infection, 422 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified, most of which were hypomethylated, and probably associated with the increased expression of watermelon m6A demethylase gene ClALKBH4B. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis indicated quite a few DMGs were involved in RNA biology and stress responsive pathways. Combined with RNA-seq analysis, there was generally a negative correlation between m6A RNA methylation and transcript level in the watermelon transcriptome. Both the m6A methylation and transcript levels of 59 modified genes significantly changed in response to CGMMV infection and some were involved in plant immunity. CONCLUSIONS Our study represents the first comprehensive characterization of m6A patterns in the watermelon transcriptome and helps to clarify the roles and regulatory mechanisms of m6A modification in watermelon in early responses to CGMMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjun He
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Lili Li
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yixiu Yao
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Huiqing Zhang
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
| | - Min Fan
- Institute of Vegetables, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China.
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21
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He Y, Li Y, Yao Y, Zhang H, Wang Y, Gao J, Fan M. Overexpression of watermelon m 6A methyltransferase ClMTB enhances drought tolerance in tobacco by mitigating oxidative stress and photosynthesis inhibition and modulating stress-responsive gene expression. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 168:340-352. [PMID: 34688195 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in RNA is a very important post-transcriptional modification mechanism in eukaryotes. It has been reported to have important regulatory roles in some stress responses in model plants, but there has been no research regarding m6A modifications in watermelon. In this study, we cloned and characterized m6A methyltransferase, ClMTB (mRNA adenosine methylase B, METTL14 human homolog protein) in watermelon. ClMTB expression could be weakly induced by drought stress as determined by the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Promoter::GUS analyses. ClMTB over-expressed in tobacco plants increased drought tolerance via enhancing reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging system and alleviating photosynthesis inhibition under drought. Transcriptome profiles indicated the multiple hormone and stress-responsive genes were specifically induced in over-expressed ClMTB plants under drought conditions. These results suggest that ClMTB-mediated m6A modification serves as a positive regulatory factor of drought tolerance. This study is the first one to provide an understanding of the specific roles of ClMTB in watermelon adaptation to drought stress, and may also provide important insights into the signaling pathway mediated by m6A modification in response to stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanjun He
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Vegetables, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Yulin Li
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Vegetables, Hangzhou, 310021, China; College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yixiu Yao
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Vegetables, Hangzhou, 310021, China; College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Huiqing Zhang
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Vegetables, Hangzhou, 310021, China
| | - Yuhuan Wang
- Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Vegetables, Hangzhou, 310021, China; College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jie Gao
- College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Min Fan
- College of Forestry and Horticulture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China.
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22
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Shao Y, Wong CE, Shen L, Yu H. N 6-methyladenosine modification underlies messenger RNA metabolism and plant development. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 63:102047. [PMID: 33965696 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications constitute an essential layer of gene regulation in living organisms. As the most prevalent internal modification on eukaryotic mRNAs, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) exists in many plant species and requires the evolutionarily conserved methyltransferases, demethylases, and m6A binding proteins for writing, erasing, and reading m6A, respectively. In plants, m6A affects many aspects of mRNA metabolism, including alternative polyadenylation, secondary structure, translation, and decay, which underlies various plant developmental processes and stress responses. Here, we discuss the recent progress in understanding the roles of m6A modification in mRNA metabolism and their mechanistic link with plant development and stress responses. We also highlight some outstanding questions and provide an outlook on future prospects of m6A research in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlin Shao
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, 117604, Singapore
| | - Chui Eng Wong
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, 117543, Singapore
| | - Lisha Shen
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, 117604, Singapore.
| | - Hao Yu
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, 1 Research Link, 117604, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, 14 Science Drive 4, 117543, Singapore.
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23
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Alvarado-Marchena L, Marquez-Molins J, Martinez-Perez M, Aparicio F, Pallás V. Mapping of Functional Subdomains in the atALKBH9B m 6A-Demethylase Required for Its Binding to the Viral RNA and to the Coat Protein of Alfalfa Mosaic Virus. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:701683. [PMID: 34290728 PMCID: PMC8287571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.701683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification is a dynamically regulated RNA modification that impacts many cellular processes and pathways. This epitranscriptomic methylation relies on the participation of RNA methyltransferases (referred to as "writers") and demethylases (referred to as "erasers"), respectively. We previously demonstrated that the Arabidopsis thaliana protein atALKBH9B showed m6A-demethylase activity and interacted with the coat protein (CP) of alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), causing a profound impact on the viral infection cycle. To dissect the functional activity of atALKBH9B in AMV infection, we performed a protein-mapping analysis to identify the putative domains required for regulating this process. In this context, the mutational analysis of the protein revealed that the residues between 427 and 467 positions are critical for in vitro binding to the AMV RNA. The atALKBH9B amino acid sequence showed intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) located at the N-terminal part delimiting the internal AlkB-like domain and at the C-terminal part. We identified an RNA binding domain containing an RGxxxRGG motif that overlaps with the C-terminal IDR. Moreover, bimolecular fluorescent experiments allowed us to determine that residues located between 387 and 427 are critical for the interaction with the AMV CP, which should be critical for modulating the viral infection process. Finally, we observed that atALKBH9B deletions of either N-terminal 20 residues or the C-terminal's last 40 amino acids impede their accumulation in siRNA bodies. The involvement of the regions responsible for RNA and viral CP binding and those required for its localization in stress granules in the viral cycle is discussed.
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Zhang K, Zhuang X, Dong Z, Xu K, Chen X, Liu F, He Z. The dynamics of N 6-methyladenine RNA modification in interactions between rice and plant viruses. Genome Biol 2021; 22:189. [PMID: 34167554 PMCID: PMC8229379 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-021-02410-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common RNA modification in eukaryotes and has been implicated as a novel epigenetic marker that is involved in various biological processes. The pattern and functional dissection of m6A in the regulation of several major human viral diseases have already been reported. However, the patterns and functions of m6A distribution in plant disease bursting remain largely unknown. RESULTS We analyse the high-quality m6A methylomes in rice plants infected with two devastating viruses. We find that the m6A methylation is mainly associated with genes that are not actively expressed in virus-infected rice plants. We also detect different m6A peak distributions on the same gene, which may contribute to different antiviral modes between rice stripe virus or rice black-stripe dwarf virus infection. Interestingly, we observe increased levels of m6A methylation in rice plant response to virus infection. Several antiviral pathway-related genes, such as RNA silencing-, resistance-, and fundamental antiviral phytohormone metabolic-related genes, are also m6A methylated. The level of m6A methylation is tightly associated with its relative expression levels. CONCLUSIONS We revealed the dynamics of m6A modification during the interaction between rice and viruses, which may act as a main regulatory strategy in gene expression. Our investigations highlight the significance of m6A modifications in interactions between plant and viruses, especially in regulating the expression of genes involved in key pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Zhang
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Wenhui East Road No.48, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Xinjian Zhuang
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhuozhuo Dong
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Xu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Microbes and Functional Genomics, Jiangsu Engineering and Technology Research Center for Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, People's Republic of China
| | - Xijun Chen
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Liu
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhen He
- Department of Plant Protection, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety of Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Wenhui East Road No.48, Yangzhou, 225009, Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China.
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25
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Zhang TY, Wang ZQ, Hu HC, Chen ZQ, Liu P, Gao SQ, Zhang F, He L, Jin P, Xu MZ, Chen JP, Yang J. Transcriptome-Wide N 6-Methyladenosine (m 6A) Profiling of Susceptible and Resistant Wheat Varieties Reveals the Involvement of Variety-Specific m 6A Modification Involved in Virus-Host Interaction Pathways. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:656302. [PMID: 34122371 PMCID: PMC8187603 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.656302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation is the most prevalent internal modification of post-transcriptional modifications in mRNA, tRNA, miRNA, and long non-coding RNA in eukaryotes. m6A methylation has been proven to be involved in plant resistance to pathogens. However, there are no reports on wheat (Triticum aestivum) m6A transcriptome-wide map and its potential biological function in wheat resistance to wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV). To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to determine the transcriptome-wide m6A profile of two wheat varieties with different resistances to WYMV. By analyzing m6A-sequencing (m6A-seq) data, we identified 25,752 common m6A peaks and 30,582 common m6A genes in two groups [WYMV-infected resistant wheat variety (WRV) and WYMV-infected sensitive wheat variety (WSV)], and all these peaks were mainly enriched in 3′ untranslated regions and stop codons of coding sequences. Gene Ontology analysis of m6A-seq and RNA-sequencing data revealed that genes that showed significant changes in both m6A and mRNA levels were associated with plant defense responses. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that these selected genes were enriched in the plant–pathogen interaction pathway. We further verified these changes in m6A and mRNA levels through gene-specific m6A real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and normal RT-qPCR. This study highlights the role of m6A methylation in wheat resistance to WYMV, providing a solid basis for the potential functional role of m6A RNA methylation in wheat resistance to infection by RNA viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Ye Zhang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zi-Qiong Wang
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hai-Chao Hu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhi-Qing Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Peng Liu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Shi-Qi Gao
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Long He
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Peng Jin
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Miao-Ze Xu
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jian-Ping Chen
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.,State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
| | - Jian Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Quality and Safety of Agro-Products, Institute of Plant Virology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
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26
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Zhu J, Li C, Peng X, Zhang X. RNA architecture influences plant biology. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:4144-4160. [PMID: 33484251 PMCID: PMC8130982 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The majority of the genome is transcribed to RNA in living organisms. RNA transcripts can form astonishing arrays of secondary and tertiary structures via Watson-Crick, Hoogsteen, or wobble base pairing. In vivo, RNA folding is not a simple thermodynamic event of minimizing free energy. Instead, the process is constrained by transcription, RNA-binding proteins, steric factors, and the microenvironment. RNA secondary structure (RSS) plays myriad roles in numerous biological processes, such as RNA processing, stability, transportation, and translation in prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Emerging evidence has also implicated RSS in RNA trafficking, liquid-liquid phase separation, and plant responses to environmental variations such as temperature and salinity. At molecular level, RSS is correlated with splicing, polyadenylation, protein synthesis, and miRNA biogenesis and functions. In this review, we summarize newly reported methods for probing RSS in vivo and functions and mechanisms of RSS in plant physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Changhao Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xu Peng
- Department of Medical Physiology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Xiuren Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
- Correspondence:
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27
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Luo JH, Wang M, Jia GF, He Y. Transcriptome-wide analysis of epitranscriptome and translational efficiency associated with heterosis in maize. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:2933-2946. [PMID: 33606877 PMCID: PMC8023220 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Heterosis has been extensively utilized to increase productivity in crops, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we generated transcriptome-wide profiles of mRNA abundance, m6A methylation, and translational efficiency from the maize F1 hybrid B73×Mo17 and its two parental lines to ascertain the contribution of each regulatory layer to heterosis at the seedling stage. We documented that although the global abundance and distribution of m6A remained unchanged, a greater number of genes had gained an m6A modification in the hybrid. Superior variations were observed at the m6A modification and translational efficiency levels when compared with mRNA abundance between the hybrid and parents. In the hybrid, the vast majority of genes with m6A modification exhibited a non-additive expression pattern, the percentage of which was much higher than that at levels of mRNA abundance and translational efficiency. Non-additive genes involved in different biological processes were hierarchically coordinated by discrete combinations of three regulatory layers. These findings suggest that transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression make distinct contributions to heterosis in hybrid maize. Overall, this integrated multi-omics analysis provides a valuable portfolio for interpreting transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in hybrid maize, and paves the way for exploring molecular mechanisms underlying hybrid vigor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hong Luo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Min Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Gui-Fang Jia
- Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yan He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100094, China
- Correspondence:
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28
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Kumar S, Mohapatra T. Deciphering Epitranscriptome: Modification of mRNA Bases Provides a New Perspective for Post-transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:628415. [PMID: 33816473 PMCID: PMC8010680 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.628415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene regulation depends on dynamic and reversibly modifiable biological and chemical information in the epigenome/epitranscriptome. Accumulating evidence suggests that messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are generated in flashing bursts in the cells in a precisely regulated manner. However, the different aspects of the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Cellular RNAs are post-transcriptionally modified at the base level, which alters the metabolism of mRNA. The current understanding of epitranscriptome in the animal system is far ahead of that in plants. The accumulating evidence indicates that the epitranscriptomic changes play vital roles in developmental processes and stress responses. Besides being non-genetically encoded, they can be of reversible nature and involved in fine-tuning the expression of gene. However, different aspects of base modifications in mRNAs are far from adequate to assign the molecular basis/functions to the epitranscriptomic changes. Advances in the chemogenetic RNA-labeling and high-throughput next-generation sequencing techniques are enabling functional analysis of the epitranscriptomic modifications to reveal their roles in mRNA biology. Mapping of the common mRNA modifications, including N 6-methyladenosine (m6A), and 5-methylcytidine (m5C), have enabled the identification of other types of modifications, such as N 1-methyladenosine. Methylation of bases in a transcript dynamically regulates the processing, cellular export, translation, and stability of the mRNA; thereby influence the important biological and physiological processes. Here, we summarize the findings in the field of mRNA base modifications with special emphasis on m6A, m5C, and their roles in growth, development, and stress tolerance, which provide a new perspective for the regulation of gene expression through post-transcriptional modification. This review also addresses some of the scientific and technical issues in epitranscriptomic study, put forward the viewpoints to resolve the issues, and discusses the future perspectives of the research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Kumar
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
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29
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Zheng HX, Zhang XS, Sui N. Advances in the profiling of N 6-methyladenosine (m 6A) modifications. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 45:107656. [PMID: 33181242 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2020.107656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2020] [Revised: 11/03/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Over 160 RNA modifications have been identified, including N7-methylguanine (m7G), N6-methyladenosine (m6A), and 5-methylcytosine (m5C). These modifications play key roles in regulating the fate of RNA. In eukaryotes, m6A is the most abundant mRNA modification, accounting for over 80% of all RNA methylation modifications. Highly dynamic m6A modification may exert important effects on organismal reproduction and development. Significant advances in understanding the mechanism of m6A modification have been made using immunoprecipitation, chemical labeling, and site-directed mutagenesis, combined with next-generation sequencing. Single-molecule real-time and nanopore direct RNA sequencing (DRS) approaches provide additional ways to study RNA modifications at the cellular level. In this review, we explore the technical history of identifying m6A RNA modifications, emphasizing technological advances in detecting m6A modification. In particular, we discuss the challenge of generating accurate dynamic single-base resolution m6A maps and also strategies for improving detection specificity. Finally, we outline a roadmap for future research in this area, focusing on the application of RNA epigenetic modification, represented by m6A modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xiang Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - Xian-Sheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, China.
| | - Na Sui
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China.
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30
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Zheng HX, Sun X, Zhang XS, Sui N. m 6A Editing: New Tool to Improve Crop Quality? TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 25:859-867. [PMID: 32376086 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common type of eukaryotic mRNA modification. It plays an important role in regulating plant growth and development and stress resistance. m6A modification influences nearly all aspects of RNA metabolism and functionality and has great potential for improving crop quality. However, changing m6A modification levels as a whole may have unpredictable effects, making it impossible to accurately predict the effect of specific m6A modifications on RNA. In this opinion article, the main challenges and possible solutions for exploring m6A modification functions in plant systems are discussed. An m6A editing platform that uses new high-throughput methods to identify m6A modification at single-base resolution, and genome editing for selective editing of specific m6A sites for crop improvement is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Xiang Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - Xi Sun
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - Xian-Sheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong 271018, China.
| | - Na Sui
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China.
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31
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Zheng H, Li S, Zhang X, Sui N. Functional Implications of Active N 6-Methyladenosine in Plants. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:291. [PMID: 32411708 PMCID: PMC7202093 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common type of eukaryotic mRNA modification and has been found in many organisms, including mammals, and plants. It has important regulatory effects on RNA splicing, export, stability, and translation. The abundance of m6A on RNA depends on the dynamic regulation between methyltransferase ("writer") and demethylase ("eraser"), and m6A binding protein ("reader") exerts more specific regulatory function by binding m6A modification sites on RNA. Progress in research has revealed important functions of m6A modification in plants. In this review, we systematically summarize the latest advances in research on the composition and mechanism of action of the m6A system in plants. We emphasize the function of m6A modification on RNA fate, plant development, and stress resistance. Finally, we discuss the outstanding questions and opportunities exist for future research on m6A modification in plant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxiang Zheng
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Simin Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiansheng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
| | - Na Sui
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
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32
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Murik O, Chandran SA, Nevo-Dinur K, Sultan LD, Best C, Stein Y, Hazan C, Ostersetzer-Biran O. Topologies of N 6 -adenosine methylation (m 6 A) in land plant mitochondria and their putative effects on organellar gene expression. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 101:1269-1286. [PMID: 31657869 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondria serve as major sites of ATP production and play key roles in many other metabolic processes that are critical to the cell. As relicts of an ancient bacterial endosymbiont, mitochondria contain their own hereditary material (i.e. mtDNA, or mitogenome) and a machinery for protein biosynthesis. The expression of the mtDNA in plants is complex, particularly at the post-transcriptional level. Following transcription, the polycistronic pre-RNAs undergo extensive modifications, including trimming, splicing and editing, before being translated by organellar ribosomes. Our study focuses on N6 -methylation of adenosine ribonucleotides (m6 A-RNA) in plant mitochondria. m6 A is a prevalent modification in nuclear-encoded mRNAs. The biological significance of this dynamic modification is under investigation, but it is widely accepted that m6 A mediates structural switches that affect RNA stability and/or activity. Using m6 A-pulldown/RNA-seq (m6 A-RIP-seq) assays of Arabidopsis and cauliflower mitochondria, we provide information on the m6 A-RNA landscapes in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica oleracea mitochondria. The results show that m6 A targets different types of mitochondrial transcripts, including known genes, mtORFs, as well as non-coding (transcribed intergenic) RNA species. While ncRNAs undergo multiple m6 A modifications, N6 -methylation of adenosine residues with mRNAs seem preferably positioned near start codons and may modulate their translatability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Murik
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Sam Aldrin Chandran
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Keren Nevo-Dinur
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Laure D Sultan
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Corinne Best
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Yuval Stein
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Carina Hazan
- Analytical Chemistry Laboratory, The Institute of Chemistry, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
| | - Oren Ostersetzer-Biran
- Dept of Plant and Environmental Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus - Givat Ram, Jerusalem, 9190401, Israel
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Arribas-Hernández L, Brodersen P. Occurrence and Functions of m 6A and Other Covalent Modifications in Plant mRNA. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 182:79-96. [PMID: 31748418 PMCID: PMC6945878 DOI: 10.1104/pp.19.01156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Posttranscriptional control of gene expression is indispensable for the execution of developmental programs and environmental adaptation. Among the many cellular mechanisms that regulate mRNA fate, covalent nucleotide modification has emerged as a major way of controlling the processing, localization, stability, and translatability of mRNAs. This powerful mechanism is conserved across eukaryotes and controls the cellular events that lead to development and growth. As in other eukaryotes, N 6-methylation of adenosine is the most abundant and best studied mRNA modification in flowering plants. It is essential for embryonic and postembryonic plant development and it affects growth rate and stress responses, including susceptibility to plant RNA viruses. Although the mRNA modification field is young, the intense interest triggered by its involvement in stem cell differentiation and cancer has led to rapid advances in understanding how mRNA modifications control gene expression in mammalian systems. An equivalent effort from plant molecular biologists has been lagging behind, but recent work in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and other plant species is starting to give insights into how this essential layer of posttranscriptional regulation works in plants, and both similarities and differences with other eukaryotes are emerging. In this Update, we summarize, connect, and evaluate the experimental work that supports our current knowledge of the biochemistry, molecular mechanisms, and biological functions of mRNA modifications in plants. We devote particular attention to N 6-methylation of adenosine and attempt to place the knowledge gained from plant studies within the context of a more general framework derived from studies in other eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter Brodersen
- University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, DK-2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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Konno M, Taniguchi M, Ishii H. Significant epitranscriptomes in heterogeneous cancer. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:2318-2327. [PMID: 31187550 PMCID: PMC6676114 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision medicine places significant emphasis on techniques for the identification of DNA mutations and gene expression by deep sequencing of gene panels to obtain medical data. However, other diverse information that is not easily readable using bioinformatics, including RNA modifications, has emerged as a novel diagnostic and innovative therapy owing to its multifunctional aspects. It is suggested that this breakthrough innovation might open new avenues for the elucidation of uncharacterized cancer cellular functions to develop more precise medical applications. The functional characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of RNA modifications, ie, the epitranscriptome (ETR), which reflects RNA metabolism, remains unclear, mainly due to detection methods being limited. Recent studies have revealed that N6‐methyl adenosine, the most common modification in mRNA in eukaryotes, is affected in various types of cancer and, in some cases, cancer stem cells, but also affects cellular responses to viral infections. The ETR can control cancer cell fate through mRNA splicing, stability, nuclear export, and translation. Here we report on the recent progress of ETR detection methods, and biological findings regarding the significance of ETR in cancer precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masamitsu Konno
- Department of Frontier Science for Cancer and Chemotherapy, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masateru Taniguchi
- The Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Hideshi Ishii
- Department of Medical Data Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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Moore C, Meng B. Prediction of the molecular boundary and functionality of novel viral AlkB domains using homology modelling and principal component analysis. J Gen Virol 2019; 100:691-703. [PMID: 30835193 DOI: 10.1099/jgv.0.001237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Alkylation B (AlkB) proteins are ubiquitous among diverse cellular organisms, where they act to reverse the damage in DNA and RNA due to methylation, such as 1-methyladenine and 3-methylcytosine. This process is found in virtually all forms of life, with the notable exception of archaea and yeast. This protein family is so significant to all forms of life that it was recently discovered that an AlkB domain is encoded as part of the replicase (poly)protein in a small subset of single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses, mainly belonging to the families Alphaflexiviridae, Betaflexiviridae and Closteroviridae. Interestingly, these AlkB-containing viruses are mostly important pathogens of woody perennials such as fruit crops, and are responsible for significant economic losses. As a newly identified protein domain in RNA viruses, the origin and molecular boundary of the viral AlkB domain, as well as its function in viral replication, virus-host interactions and infection are unknown. This is due to the limited sequence conservation of viral AlkB domains, especially at the N-terminal region corresponding to the nucleotide recognition lid. Here we apply several independent analytical approaches (homology modelling, principal component analysis and the Shannon diversity index) for the first time, to better understand this viral domain. We conclude that a functional AlkB domain in these viruses comprises approximately 150-170 amino acids. Although the exact function of the viral AlkB domain remains unknown, we hypothesize that it counteracts a host defence mechanism that is unique in these perennial plants and was acquired to enhance the long-term survival of these RNA viruses that infect perennial plants. Interestingly, a majority of these viruses have a tissue tropism for the phloem. Furthermore, we identified several additional amino acid residues that are uniquely conserved among viral AlkBs. This work helps to provide a foundation for further investigation of the function of viral AlkBs and critical residues involved in AlkB function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton Moore
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Baozhong Meng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Rajecka V, Skalicky T, Vanacova S. The role of RNA adenosine demethylases in the control of gene expression. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2018; 1862:343-355. [PMID: 30550773 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
RNA modifications are being recognized as an essential factor in gene expression regulation. They play essential roles in germ line development, differentiation and disease. In eukaryotic mRNAs, N6-adenosine methylation (m6A) is the most prevalent internal chemical modification identified to date. The m6A pathway involves factors called writers, readers and erasers. m6A thus offers an interesting concept of dynamic reversible modification with implications in fine-tuning the cellular metabolism. In mammals, FTO and ALKBH5 have been initially identified as m6A erasers. Recently, FTO m6A specificity has been debated as new reports identify FTO targeting N6,2'-O-dimethyladenosine (m6Am). The two adenosine demethylases have diverse roles in the metabolism of mRNAs and their activity is involved in key processes, such as embryogenesis, disease or infection. In this article, we review the current knowledge of their function and mechanisms and discuss the existing contradictions in the field. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: mRNA modifications in gene expression control edited by Dr. Soller Matthias and Dr. Fray Rupert.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Rajecka
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Skalicky
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic
| | - Stepanka Vanacova
- Central European Institute of Technology (CEITEC), Masaryk University, Brno 625 00, Czech Republic.
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N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A): Revisiting the Old with Focus on New, an Arabidopsis thaliana Centered Review. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9120596. [PMID: 30513695 PMCID: PMC6316766 DOI: 10.3390/genes9120596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Revised: 11/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is known to occur in plant and animal messenger RNAs (mRNAs) since the 1970s. However, the scope and function of this modification remained un-explored till very recently. Since the beginning of this decade, owing to major technological breakthroughs, the interest in m6A has peaked again. Similar to animal mRNAs, plant mRNAs are also m6A methylated, within a specific sequence motif which is conserved across these kingdoms. m6A has been found to be pivotal for plant development and necessary for processes ranging from seed germination to floral development. A wide range of proteins involved in methylation of adenosine have been identified alongside proteins that remove or identify m6A. This review aims to put together the current knowledge regarding m6A in Arabidopsis thaliana.
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