RNA modifications in plant pathogenic fungi: from epitranscriptomics to antifungal strategies

Traditional antifungal agents such as polyene, azole, and echinocandin antifungals are restricted because of antifungal resistance and off-target effects. Given these limitations, there is an urgent need to explore novel antifungal strategies by identifying alternative targets. RNA modifications, such as m⁶A, m⁵C, m¹A, m⁷G, s²U, ac⁴C, and A-to-I editing, hold promise as such targets on the basis of their roles in post-transcriptional regulation in plant pathogenic fungi, affecting RNA processing, stability, translation, and localization. This review summarizes the current understanding of RNA modifications in plant pathogenic fungi, focusing on their roles in infection and their potential as novel antifungal targets. While promising, the field is still emerging, and further experimental validation is essential to translate these findings into practical antifungal strategies.