Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 15, 2025

A Method for Measuring RNA N6-methyladenosine Modifications in Cells and Tissues
08:56

A Method for Measuring RNA N6-methyladenosine Modifications in Cells and Tissues

Published on: December 5, 2016

11.0K

Transcriptome-wide analysis of mRNA N6 -methyladenosine modification in the embryonic development of Spodoptera

Yaqing Chen1, Yushan Lai1, Runzhou Liu1

  • 1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Insect Developmental Biology and Applied Technology, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.

Insect Science
|January 6, 2023
PubMed

Insights

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification is crucial for embryonic development in the pest Spodoptera frugiperda. This study reveals m6A epigenetic regulation impacts gene expression during insect development.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA is the most abundant mRNA modification, regulating post-transcriptional processes.
  • m6A methylation is vital for sex determination, neuronal functions, and embryonic development in various organisms.
  • Spodoptera frugiperda is a destructive agricultural pest, making its developmental biology relevant for pest control.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the transcriptome-wide profile of m6A modification during Spodoptera frugiperda embryonic development.
  • To investigate the role of m6A epigenetic regulation in the embryonic development of S. frugiperda.
  • To identify key m6A methyltransferases and their potential conserved functions.

Main Methods:

  • Transcriptome-wide analysis of m6A modification using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (m6A-IP-seq).
  • Comparative analysis of m6A peak distribution and differential expression between 2-h and 24-h S. frugiperda embryos.
  • Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis.
  • Conjoint analysis of m6A-IP-seq and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) data.

Main Results:

  • Identified conserved m6A methyltransferases SfrMETTL3 and SfrMETTL14 in S. frugiperda.
  • Mapped 46,869 m6A peaks (8,587 transcripts) in 2-h embryos and 41,389 peaks (9,230 transcripts) in 24-h embryos.
  • Discovered 5,995 differentially expressed m6A peaks (3,752 upregulated, 2,243 downregulated) between developmental stages.
  • Found enrichment of differentially modified genes in cell and organ development pathways.
  • Showed that RNA m6A methylation may regulate transcriptional levels of developmental genes.

Conclusions:

  • RNA m6A epigenetic regulation plays a significant role in the embryonic development of Spodoptera frugiperda.
  • m6A modification influences gene expression related to tissue and organ development during early embryogenesis.
  • This study provides novel insights into insect embryonic development and potential targets for pest management.
Keywords:
N6-methyladenosineRNA methylationSpodoptera frugiperdaembryonic development

More Related Videos

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis08:50

Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis

Published on: May 14, 2020

6.8K
Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry08:45

Characterizing RNA Modifications in Single Neurons Using Mass Spectrometry

Published on: April 21, 2022

2.4K

Related Concept Videos

RNA Editing02:23

RNA Editing

RNA editing is a post-transcriptional modification where a precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) nucleotide sequence is changed by base insertion, deletion, or modification. The extent of RNA editing varies from a few hundred bases, in mitochondrial DNA of trypanosomes, to a just single base, in nuclear genes of mammals. Even a single base change in the pre-mRNA can convert a codon for one amino acid into the codon for another amino acid or a stop codon. This type of re-coding can significantly affect the...
9.1K
Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends01:35

Pre-mRNA Processing: Modification of pre-mRNA Ends

In eukaryotic cells, transcripts made by RNA polymerase are modified and processed before exiting the nucleus. Unprocessed RNA is called precursor mRNA or pre-mRNA to distinguish it from mature mRNA.
Once about 20-40 ribonucleotides have been joined together by RNA polymerase, a group of enzymes adds a cap to the 5' end of the growing transcript. In this process, a 5' phosphate is replaced by modified guanosine that has a methyl group attached (7-methyl guanosine). This 5' cap helps...
9.7K
What is Gene Expression?01:36

What is Gene Expression?

A gene is a stretch of DNA that serves as the blueprint for functional RNAs and proteins. Since DNA is comprised  of nucleotides and proteins are comprised of amino acids, a mediator is required to convert the information encoded in DNA into proteins. This mediator is the messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA copies the blueprint from DNA by a process called transcription. In eukaryotes, transcription occurs in the nucleus by complementary base-pairing with the DNA template. The mRNA is then...
8.9K