Transcriptome-Wide N⁶-Methyladenosine (m⁶A) Methylation Analyses in a Compatible Wheat-Puccinia striiformis f. sp....

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is a prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA, tRNA, miRNA, and long non-coding RNA. It is also known for its role in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, a comprehensive m⁶A transcriptome-wide map for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) infections in wheat (Triticum aestivum) is currently unavailable. Our study is the first to profile m⁶A modifications in wheat infected with a virulent Pst race. Analysis of RNA-seq and MeRIP-seq data revealed that the majority of differentially expressed genes are up-regulated and hyper-methylated. Some of these genes are enriched in the plant-pathogen interaction pathway. Notably, genes related to photosynthesis showed significant down-regulation and hypo-methylation, suggesting a potential mechanism facilitating successful Pst invasion by impairing photosynthetic function. The crucial genes, epitomizing the core molecular constituents that fortify plants against pathogenic assaults, were detected with varying expression and methylation levels, together with a newly identified methylation motif. Additionally, m⁶A regulator genes were also influenced by m⁶A modification, and their expression patterns varied at different time points of post-inoculation, with lower expression at early stages of infection. This study provides insights into the role of m⁶A modification regulation in wheat's response to Pst infection, establishing a foundation for understanding the potential function of m⁶A RNA methylation in plant resistance or susceptibility to pathogens.