Epitranscriptome sequencing technologies: decoding RNA modifications
Abstract
In recent years, major breakthroughs in RNA-modification-mediated regulation of gene expression have been made, leading to the emerging field of epitranscriptomics.Our understanding of the distribution, regulation and function of these dynamic RNA modifications is based on sequencing technologies. In this Review, we focus on the major mRNA modifications in the transcriptome of eukaryotic cells: N6-methyladenosine, N6, 2'-O-dimethyladenosine, 5-methylcytidine, 5-hydroxylmethylcytidine, inosine, pseudouridine and N 1-methyladenosine. We discuss the sequencing technologies used to profile these epitranscriptomic marks, including scale, resolution, quantitative feature, pre-enrichment capability and the corresponding bioinformatics tools. We also discuss the challenges of epitranscriptome profiling and highlight the prospect of future detection tools. We aim to guide the choice of different detection methods and inspire new ideas in RNA biology.
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m6A exists not only in mRNA, but also in tRNA, rRNA, and lncRNA.
“M6A is a methylation modification of the N at the sixth position of adenosine, which exists not only in mRNA, but also in tRNA, rRNA, and lncRNA.351”
From Epigenetic regulation in major depression and other stress-related disorders: molecular mechanisms, clinical relevance and therapeutic potential (2023) · cites this paper as [351]
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- Authors
- Li, X., Xiong, X., & Yi, C.
- Affiliations
- Peking University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Yi, Chengqi
- Venue
- Nature Methods
- Published
- 2016-12-29
- Volume
- 14
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 23-31
- ISSN
- 1548-7091 (ISSN-L)
- 1548-7105
- OpenAlex
- W2566723880
- Cited by
- 447
- References
- 7
- Citations by year
- 2026: 23 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 43 · 2023: 54 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 68 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 53 · 2018: 45 · 2017: 31
- FWCI
- 3.89
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Update notices
- erratum (2017-03-01)
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Nature Methods (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA modifications and cancer
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA regulation and disease
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Keywords
- epitranscriptomics, RNA modification, N6-methyladenosine, N6,2'-O-dimethyladenosine, 5-methylcytidine, inosine, pseudouridine, N1-methyladenosine, gene expression regulation, bioinformatics software
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Humans, RNA, Epigenesis, Genetic, Epigenomics, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Transcriptome
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