Modeling m6A Motif Enrichment in the 3′UTR Regions of Nitrogen Metabolism and Phenylpropanoid Pathway Genes in Tea (Camellia sinensis) Relative to the Genomic Background

Eminoğlu A.

13. Uluslararası Ankara Bilimsel Araştırmalar Kongresi, Ankara, Türkiye, 1 - 03 Mart 2026, ss.1-2, (Özet Bildiri)

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Ankara
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.1-2
  • Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

ABSTRACT

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is a conserved and reversible epigenetic mark involved in the regulation of RNA stability, translation, and alternative splicing, and is associated with development and stress responses; it is frequently linked to stress-related pathways, photosynthesis, and circadian/light signaling. In tea plants, m6A modifications have been mapped at the transcriptome level through MeRIP-seq–based studies; these studies demonstrated that modifications are predominantly enriched near the stop codon and within 3′UTR regions, and that the canonical RRACH motif is dominant. In addition, differential m6A peaks have been identified under solar-withering and stress conditions; m6A regulatory genes such as CsALKBH4 have been reported to affect the stability and alternative splicing of transcripts associated with flavonoid and terpene biosynthesis. However, systematic modeling of motif architecture against the genomic average within specific gene sets has not been performed. In this study, the motif architecture of RRACH, GGAU, and U-rich elements was examined in PAL, CHS, DFR, ANS, ANR, and FLS genes belonging to the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways, as well as in GS, GOGAT, and GDH genes involved in nitrogen metabolism. Motif scanning was performed in the R statistical environment using regex-based algorithms, and motif densities were normalized per kilobase. The obtained values were compared with genome-wide averages of tea and modeled multivariately using Z-scores and Mahalanobis distance. In the 3′UTR-focused analysis (last 200 nt), a marked increase in RRACH and GGAU motif density was detected particularly in GOGAT and GS genes compared to the genomic background, showing statistically significant deviation. Considering the motif architecture and the significant enrichment within the 3′UTR, GOGAT and GS genes emerge as potential candidates in terms of m6A-related regulation. This suggests that nitrogen metabolism genes may represent potential candidates for m6A-related regulation within their 3′UTR regions.

Keywords: m6A methylation; 3′UTR; RRACH motif; Nitrogen metabolism; GOGAT; GS; Camellia sinensis.