Functional Impacts of Epitranscriptomic m 6 A Modification on HIV-1 Infection.

Epitranscriptomic RNA modifications play a crucial role in the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A) is the most prevalent internal modification of eukaryotic RNA and plays a pivotal role in RNA fate. RNA m 6 A modification is regulated by a group of cellular proteins, methyltransferases (writers) and demethylases (erasers), which add and remove the methyl group from adenosine, respectively. m 6 A modification is recognized by a group of cellular RNA-binding proteins (readers) that specifically bind to m 6 A-modified RNA, mediating effects on RNA stability, splicing, transport, and translation. The functional significance of m 6 A modification of viral and cellular RNA is an active area of virology research. In this review, we summarize and analyze the current literature on m 6 A modification of HIV-1 RNA, the multifaceted functions of m 6 A in regulating HIV-1 replication, and the role of viral RNA m 6 A modification in evading innate immune responses to infection. Furthermore, we briefly discuss the future directions and therapeutic implications of mechanistic studies of HIV-1 epitranscriptomic modifications.