The role of plant RNA methylation pre-, during and post-pathogen infection

Abstract

The central dogma of molecular biology outlines the flow from DNA to RNA to proteins, but this process involves additional regulatory layers, including chemical modifications like RNA methylation. The most prevalent of these is N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which plays a key role in growth, development, and stress responses in both animals and plants. While m6A’s involvement in animal-microbe interactions is well-established, its role in plant-microbe interactions remains largely unexplored. This project aims to investigate how differential m6A modifications regulate plant responses to pathogenic and beneficial microbes in model plant Arabidopsis and related economically important crop broccoli. Pathogens trigger direct defense mechanisms, while beneficial microbes prime plants for future defense through induced systemic resistance (ISR). I hypothesize that m6A-modified RNA influences plant immunity in both types of interactions. The research will focus on how m6A affects the temporary storage of mRNA during infections by examining the dynamics of stress granules (SGs), which store RNA under stressful conditions. Additionally, I will explore how microbes induce changes in m6A-modified chromatin-associated regulatory RNAs (carRNAs), altering chromatin accessibility and the expression of immunity-related genes. These important regulatory circuits are yet to de discovered in plants. This work will shed light on the role of m6A in regulating plant immunity by both beneficial and pathogenic microbes, potentially leading to innovative, sustainable biocontrol strategies for crop breeding.