Unique and specific m6 a rna methylation in mouse embryonic and postnatal cerebral cortices

Abstract

N6-methyladenosine (m6 A)-mediated epitranscriptomic regulation is critical for various physiological processes. Genetic studies demonstrate that proper m6 A-methylation is required for mouse brain development and function. Revealing landscapes of m6 A-methylation in the cerebral cortex at different developmental stages will help to understand the biological meaning of epitranscriptomic regulation. Here, we depict the temporal-specific m6 A-methylation status in mouse embryonic and postnatal cortices using methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) sequencing. We identified unique m6 A binding motifs in stage-specific RNAs and found that more RNA transcripts are temporally methylated in embryonic cortices than in postnatal ones. Moreover, we found that cortical transcription factors and genes associated with neurological disorders are broadly as well specifically methylated at m6 A sites. Our study highlights the importance of epitranscriptomic regulation in the developing cortex and provides a fundamental reference for future mechanistic examinations of m6 A methylation-mediated gene expression regulation in normal brain development and neurological disorders.