Dynamic mA Modification Landscape During the Egg Laying Process of Chickens.

RNA N6-methyladenosine (mA) is one of the most common and widespread reversible epigenetic modifications of mRNAs, and mA has been shown to play a positive role in regulating follicular development. However, the role of RNA mA methylation in chicken ovaries and egg production has not been fully studied. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed the mA transcriptome profiles of high- and low-yield Gushi chickens at 43 weeks of age (43 w). We found that mA modification differed between the two groups. The mA peak was positively correlated with the gene expression level, indicating that mA may play an important role in regulating chicken egg production. In total, 9008 and 15,415 mA peaks were separately identified in the two groups, including 2241 differential mA peaks. In addition, seven candidate genes related to egg laying that were significantly enriched in the KEGG pathway related to ovary development and egg laying were identified. In summary, we constructed the first mA modification map of ovarian tissue of Gushi chickens, and the differences in egg laying in 43 w Gushi chickens may originate from the effect of RNA methylation on the expression of egg-related genes. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of mA methylation during egg production in Gushi chickens.