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.

随着全球气候变化，冷胁迫正严重威胁亚热带作物的花粉发育，并导致产量降低。N6-甲基腺嘌呤（N6-methyladenosine，m6A）是腺嘌呤N6位的甲基化修饰，尤其富集于mRNA分子中，在植物发育过程中发挥多重生理功能。然而，目前尚不清楚m6A是否参与调控花粉发育，其在冷胁迫响应中的具体作用亦尚未明确。本研究观察到，适度低温胁迫（moderate low temperature stress，MLT）可通过严重破坏绒毡层发育与花粉外壁形成，诱导番茄花粉败育，同时伴随番茄花药内m6A水平的下调。