“Exploring Epitranscriptomics: A new vista of gene regulation for crop improvement”

             In agriculture, understanding gene regulation is crucial for enhancing productivity and sustainability. Epitranscriptomics, a burgeoning field, explores how RNA modifications like methylation, uridylation dynamically regulate gene expression in crops. RNA-modifying enzymes, including writers, erasers, and readers, play central roles in this regulation. Various methodologies like bisulphite treatment, immunoprecipitation using antibodies, high-throughput sequencing enable researchers to detect and characterize RNA modifications on a genome-wide scale, offering insights into their distribution and functional significance 2,4. Epitranscriptomic modifications exert profound effects on RNA stability, splicing, nuclear export, translation, 3’UTR lengthening1 and degradation, thereby modulating gene expression and influencing critical agronomic traits in crops. The significance of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) methylation as a crucial regulator in Arabidopsis response to salt stress. The observed salt-sensitive phenotypes in m6A writer mutants, particularly in the vir mutant, emphasize the pivotal role of m6A modification in maintaining salt stress tolerance1. By deciphering the epitranscriptomic code, researchers can identify key regulatory nodes governing plant growth, stress responses, and yield1,4 offering opportunities for targeted manipulation of desired traits in crop breeding programs. Epitranscriptome engineering involves the deliberate manipulation of RNA modifications to modulate gene expression and ultimately tailor desired traits in organisms. By precisely modifying specific RNA bases using targeted approaches, researchers can potentially enhance crop productivity, stress tolerance, and nutritional quality3. Despite its transformative potential, exploring epitranscriptomics in crop improvement poses several challenges. Deeper mechanistic understanding of RNA modifications and their functional consequences is required to fully harness their regulatory potential. Additionally, the development of advanced bioinformatics tools and standardized protocols for epitranscriptomic analysis in diverse crop species is essential to facilitate broader adoption and application of epitranscriptomic insights in agricultural research.

References:

1. HU, J., CAI, J., PARK, S.J., LEE, K., LI, Y., CHEN, Y., YUN, J.Y., XU, T. AND KANG, H., 2021,

N6‐Methyladenosine mRNA methylation is important for salt stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. Plant

J., 106(6):1759-1775.

2. KUMAR, S. AND MOHAPATRA, T., 2021, Deciphering epitranscriptome: modification of mRNA bases provides a new perspective for post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Front. Cell Dev. Biol., 9:120-145.

3. SHEN, L. AND YU, H., 2021, Epitranscriptome engineering in crop improvement. Mol. Plant., 14(9): 1418-1420.

4. YANG, X., PATIL, S., JOSHI, S., JAMLA, M. AND KUMAR, V., 2022, Exploring epitranscriptomics for crop improvement and environmental stress tolerance. Plant Physiol. Biochem., 183:56-71.