title: N6-methyladenine functions as a potential epigenetic mark in eukaryotes.
abstract: N(6)-methyladenine (6mA) is one of the most abundant types of DNA methylation, and plays an important role in bacteria; however, its roles in higher eukaryotes, such as plants, insects, and mammals, have been considered less important. Recent studies highlight that 6mA does indeed occur, and that it plays an important role in eukaryotes, such as worm, fly, and green algae, and thus the regulation of 6mA has emerged as a novel epigenetic mechanism in higher eukaryotes. Despite this intriguing development, a number of important issues regarding its biological roles are yet to be addressed. In this review, we focus on the 5mC and 6mA modifications in terms of their production, distribution, and the erasure of 6mA in higher eukaryotes including mammals. We perform an analysis of the potential functions of 6mA, hence widening understanding of this new epigenetic mark in higher eukaryotes, and suggesting future studies in this field.
authors: State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Qinmiao
authors: Q
authors: Sun
authors: State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.|Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China.
authors: Shoujun
authors: S
authors: Huang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Xiaona
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Yuanxiang
authors: Y
authors: Zhu
authors: State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Zhenping
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors: Dahua
authors: D
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D044503:5-Methylcytosine / Q000737:chemistry*; D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000235:genetics*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D044503:5-Methylcytosine; D000225:Adenine; D005819:Genetic Markers; C000730567:6-methyladenine
keywords: 5-methylcytosine; DNA methylation; N6-methyladenine; epigenetic control; eukaryotes; gene regulation