N6-Methyladenosine Modifications in the Female Reproductive System: Roles in Gonad Development and Diseases
Hongbei Mu, Huiying Li, Yu Liu, Xiaofei Wang, Qiaojuan Mei, Wenpei Xiang
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most prevalent chemical modification in eukaryotic messenger RNAs. By participating in various RNA-related bioprocesses including RNA decay, splicing, transport and translation, m 6 A serves as a pivotal regulator of RNA fate and plays an irreplaceable role in cellular activities. The m 6 A modifications of transcripts are coordinately regulated by methyltransferase "writers" and demethylase "erasers", and produce variable effects via different m 6 A reading protein "readers". There is emerging evidence that m 6 A modifications play a critical role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes in the female reproductive system, subsequently affecting female fertility. Here, we introduce recent advances in research on m 6 A regulators and their functions, then highlight the role of m 6 A in gonad development and female reproductive diseases, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving these processes.