RNA N6-methyladenosine in tomato anthers

Cold stress is posing a serious threat to subtropical crop pollen development and induces yield decline with the global climate change. N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a methylation in the N6 position of adenosine especially in the mRNA, exerts multiple physiological functions in plant development. However, whether m6A participates in the regulation of pollen development is not clear and its precise role in cold stress response is currently unknown. Here, we observed moderate low temperature stress (MLT) induced pollen abortion attributing to the serious interruption in tapetum development and pollen exine formation, accompanying downregulated m6A levels in tomato anther.