1. mRNA ADENOSINE METHYLASE promotes drought tolerance through N 6 -methyladenosine-dependent and independent impacts on mRNA regulation in Arabidopsis.
- Author
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Ganguly DR, Li Y, Bhat SS, Tiwari S, Ng PJ, Gregory BD, and Sunkar R
- Subjects
- Adaptation, Physiological genetics, Methyltransferases metabolism, Methyltransferases genetics, RNA Stability genetics, Protein Biosynthesis, Stress, Physiological genetics, Methylation, Drought Resistance, Arabidopsis genetics, Arabidopsis physiology, Adenosine analogs & derivatives, Adenosine metabolism, RNA, Messenger genetics, RNA, Messenger metabolism, Droughts, Gene Expression Regulation, Plant, Arabidopsis Proteins genetics, Arabidopsis Proteins metabolism
- Abstract
Among many mRNA modifications, adenine methylation at the N
6 position (N6 -methyladenosine, m6 A) is known to affect mRNA biology extensively. The influence of m6 A has yet to be assessed under drought, one of the most impactful abiotic stresses. We show that Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. (Arabidopsis) plants lacking mRNA ADENOSINE METHYLASE (MTA) are drought-sensitive. Subsequently, we comprehensively assess the impacts of MTA-dependent m6 A changes during drought on mRNA abundance, stability, and translation in Arabidopsis. During drought, there is a global trend toward hypermethylation of many protein-coding transcripts that does not occur in mta. We also observe complex regulation of m6 A at a transcript-specific level, possibly reflecting compensation by other m6 A components. Importantly, a subset of transcripts that are hypermethylated in an MTA-dependent manner exhibited reduced turnover and translation in mta, compared with wild-type (WT) plants, during drought. Additionally, MTA impacts transcript stability and translation independently of m6 A. We also correlate drought-associated deposition of m6 A with increased translation of modulators of drought response, such as RD29A, COR47, COR413, ALDH2B, ERD7, and ABF4 in WT, which is impaired in mta. m6 A is dynamic during drought and, alongside MTA, promotes tolerance by regulating drought-responsive changes in transcript turnover and translation., (© 2024 The Author(s). New Phytologist © 2024 New Phytologist Foundation.) more...- Published
- 2025
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