N6 -methyladenine (m6 A) is the most prevalent type of internal RNA methylation in eukaryotic mRNA and plays critical roles in regulating gene expression for fundamental cellular processes and diverse physiological functions. Recent evidence indicates that m6 A methylation regulates physiology and metabolism, and m6 A has been increasingly implicated in a variety of human diseases, including obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cancer. Conversely, nutrition and diet can modulate or reverse m6 A methylation patterns on gene expression. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the study of the m6 A methylation mechanisms and highlight the crosstalk between m6 A modification, nutritional physiology and metabolism.
Keywords: M6A RNA methylation; epitranscriptomic; metabolism; nutrition.
© 2019 World Obesity Federation.