Deamination- or N-Nitrosation-Based Methods for m6A Profiling

Abstract

The addition of various chemical modifications to RNA introduces an additional layer of complexity to the regulation of gene expression. Among all RNA modifications, N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A) has earned its status as the most abundant and well-studied post-transcriptional modification in mammalian mRNA. Nevertheless, understanding the role of m⁶A in shaping the fate of RNA molecules and its influence on gene expression heavily depends on the development and application of detection technologies. Among all m⁶A detection methods, chemical-based sequencing methods show unique advantages. Our group recently developed an absolute quantification method named GLORI, which employs nitrite and glyoxal to convert adenosine to inosine efficiently. With its potential to emerge as the gold standard for m⁶A detection, GLORI showcases the promise of nitrite-based approaches. This review provides a comprehensive overview of m⁶A detection techniques based on deamination or nitrosation, evaluating their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we offer insights into the future directions of innovative approaches in m⁶A profiling.