RNA N6-Methyladenine Modification, Cellular Reprogramming, and Cancer Stemness

N-6-Methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most abundant modification on eukaryote messenger RNA and plays a key role in posttranscriptional regulation of RNA metabolism including splicing, intracellular transport, degradation, and translation. m(6)A is dynamically regulated by methyltransferases (writers), RNA-binding proteins (readers), and demethylases (erasers). Recent studies demonstrate that perturbation of m(6)A regulators remarkably influences cell fate transitions through rewiring various biological processes, such as growth, differentiation, and survival. Moreover, aberrant m(6)A modification is implicated in a variety of diseases, in particular cancer. In this review, we describe the functional linkage of m(6)A modifications to cellular reprogramming and cancer stemness properties.

Automated summary

N-6-Methyladenosine (m(6)A) is a common modification on eukaryote messenger RNA, playing a crucial role in posttranscriptional regulation. Recent studies have shown that perturbation of m(6)A regulators can greatly affect cell fate transitions and is associated with various diseases, including cancer.