Emerging role of m6A RNA methylation in nutritional physiology and metabolism

N-6-methyladenine (m(6)A) is the most prevalent type of internal RNA methylation in eukaryotic mRNA and plays critical roles in regulating gene expression for fundamental cellular processes and diverse physiological functions. Recent evidence indicates that m(6)A methylation regulates physiology and metabolism, and m(6)A has been increasingly implicated in a variety of human diseases, including obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer. Conversely, nutrition and diet can modulate or reverse m(6)A methylation patterns on gene expression. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the study of the m(6)A methylation mechanisms and highlight the crosstalk between m(6)A modification, nutritional physiology and metabolism.