m6 A mRNA Modifcation as a New Layer of Gene Regulation in Plants

N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) is the most prevalent mRNA modifcation in higher eukaryotes. Technical advances in m6 A detec tion and mapping have allowed a comprehensive understanding of transcriptome-wide distribution of the RNA modifcation and its biological impacts especially in model plant systems. The m6 A modifcation is reversibly catalyzed by antagonistic actions of m6 A writers and erasers and the mRNA modifcation is biologically interpreted by m6 A readers. In this review, we summarized the recent understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying m6 A deposition and m6 A-regulated biological functions in diverse aspects of plant development. We also illustrated the evolutionary history of m6 A modifcation compo nents and discussed future perspectives of mRNA modifcation in plants.