Dynamic m⁶A Modification Landscape During the Egg Laying Process of Chickens

RNA N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is one of the most common and widespread reversible epigenetic modifications of mRNAs, and m⁶A has been shown to play a positive role in regulating follicular development. However, the role of RNA m⁶A methylation in chicken ovaries and egg production has not been fully studied. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the m⁶A transcriptome profiles of high- and low-yield Gushi chickens at 43 weeks of age (43 w). We found that m⁶A modification differed between the two groups. The m⁶A peak was positively correlated with the gene expression level, indicating that m⁶A may play an important role in regulating chicken egg production. In total, 9008 and 15,415 m⁶A peaks were separately identified in the two groups, including 2241 differential m⁶A peaks. In addition, seven candidate genes related to egg laying that were significantly enriched in the KEGG pathway related to ovary development and egg laying were identified. In summary, we constructed the first m⁶A modification map of ovarian tissue of Gushi chickens, and the differences in egg laying in 43 w Gushi chickens may originate from the effect of RNA methylation on the expression of egg-related genes. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of m⁶A methylation during egg production in Gushi chickens.