Integrated analysis of the transcriptome-wide m6A methylome in gestational diabetes mellitus and healthy control placentas [meRIP-seq]

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent modification in eukaryotic mRNA and potential regulatory functions of m6A have been shown by mapping the RNA m6A modification landscape. M6A modification in active gene regulation manifests itself as altered methylation profiles. However, the profiling of m6A modification and its potential role in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has not yet been studied. In this work, placental samples were collected from GDM and control patients. MeRIP-seq was performed to identify differences in m6A methylation. Fragmented mRNAs were incubated for 2 h at 4 °C in the presence of 2 µg m6A antibodies (Synaptic Systems, 202003) in a 500 µl IP reaction system, and some of the fragments were used as input. RNA-seq libraries for m6A antibody-enriched mRNAs and input mRNAs were prepared using the KAPA Stranded mRNA-seq Kit (Illumina, CA, USA). Altered peaks of m6A-modified transcripts were primarily associated with mTOR signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway, TGF-beta signaling pathway and so on. Our data provide novel information regarding m6A modification alterations in GDM and help our understanding of the pathogenesis of GDM. Overall design: RNA m6A modification landscape of placental samples of GDM (n=4) and control patients (n=4), were generated by Illumina Hiseq 4000.