Transcriptome-wide profiling of N6-methyladenosine via a selective chemical labeling method

Studies of chemical modifications on RNA have ushered in the field of epitranscriptomics. N-6-Methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most typical RNA modification and is indispensable for basic biological processes. This study presents a chemical pulldown method (m(6)A-ORL-Seq) for transcriptome-wide profiling of m(6)A. Moreover, chemical labeling results in a specific reverse transcription (RT) truncation signature. This study has identified four thousand high-confidence m(6)A sites at single-base resolution in the human transcriptome. Unlike previously reported methods based on m(6)A-antibody or m(6)A-sensitive enzymes, the antibody/enzyme-free chemical method provides a new perspective for single-base m(6)A detection at the transcriptome level.

Automated summary

This study presents a chemical method (m(6)A-ORL-Seq) for high-throughput detection of m(6)A modifications in the transcriptome, and successfully identifies around four thousand high-confidence m(6)A sites in the human transcriptome. Unlike traditional antibody or enzyme-based methods, this new approach provides a novel perspective for single-base m(6)A detection at the transcriptome level.