N6-Methyladenosine Regulates Host Responses to Viral Infection

Abstract

Recent discoveries have revealed that, during viral infection, the presence of the RNA modification N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) on viral and cellular RNAs has profound impacts on infection outcome. Although m⁶A directly regulates many viral RNA processes, its effects on cellular RNAs and pathways during infection have only recently begun to be elucidated. Disentangling the effects of m⁶A on viral and host RNAs remains a challenge for the field. m⁶A has been found to regulate host responses such as viral RNA sensing, cytokine responses, and immune cell functions. We highlight recent findings describing how m⁶A modulates host responses to viral infection and discuss future directions that will lead to a synergistic understanding of the processes by which m⁶A regulates viral infection.

Keywords: N(6)-methyladenosine; RNA sensing; cytokines; interferon (IFN); m(6)A.