Advances of N⁶-methyladenosine RNA methylation in tree species

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) is a pivotal post-transcriptional regulator in plants, but most mechanistic studies derive from arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and annual crops. While core m⁶A machinery is conserved in plants, emerging studies in poplar, bamboo, and other tree species suggest that m⁶A modulates lignification and stress adaptation, likely reflecting perennial traits including long life cycle, secondary growth, seasonal developmental transitions. The major challenge of m⁶A research in trees is the shift from global m⁶A profiling to site-specific causal mechanism. New approaches like targets of RNA-binding proteins identified by editing, direct RNA sequencing, and dCas13-based programmable RNA epigenetic editors provide a practical resolution. In summary, this review extends m⁶A regulation from model plants to trees and highlights m⁶A's potential for improving tree traits.