After transcription, a messenger RNA (mRNA) is further post‐transcriptionally regulated by several features including RNA secondary structure and covalent RNA modifications (specifically N⁶‐methyladenosine, m⁶A). Both RNA secondary structure and m⁶A have been demonstrated to regulate mRNA stability and translation and have been independently linked to plant responses to soil salinity levels. However, the effect of m⁶A on regulating RNA secondary structure and the combinatorial interplay between these two RNA features during salt stress response has yet to be studied. Here, we globally identify RNA‐protein interactions and RNA secondary structure during systemic salt stress. This analysis reveals that RNA secondary structure changes significantly during salt stress, and that it is independent of global changes in RNA‐protein interactions. Conversely, we find that m⁶A is anti‐correlated with RNA secondary structure in a condition‐dependent manner, with salt‐specific m⁶A correlated with a decrease in mRNA secondary structure during salt stress. Taken together, we suggest that salt‐specific m⁶A deposition and the associated loss of RNA secondary structure results in increases in mRNA stability for transcripts encoding abiotic stress response proteins and ultimately increases in protein levels from these stabilized transcripts. In total, our comprehensive analyses reveal important post‐transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved in plant long‐term salt stress response and adaptation.

中文翻译：

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N6-甲基腺苷和 RNA 二级结构影响拟南芥系统盐胁迫期间的转录稳定性和蛋白质丰度。


转录后，信使 RNA (mRNA) 进一步受到多种特征的转录后调节，包括 RNA 二级结构和共价 RNA 修饰（特别是 N ⁶ -甲基腺苷，m ⁶ A）。 RNA 二级结构和 m ⁶ A 均已被证明可以调节 mRNA 稳定性和翻译，并且与植物对土壤盐分水平的反应独立相关。然而，m ⁶ A 对调节 RNA 二级结构的作用以及盐胁迫响应过程中这两个 RNA 特征之间的组合相互作用仍有待研究。在这里，我们全面鉴定了全身盐胁迫期间的 RNA-蛋白质相互作用和 RNA 二级结构。该分析表明，RNA 二级结构在盐胁迫期间发生显着变化，并且它独立于 RNA-蛋白质相互作用的整体变化。相反，我们发现 m ⁶ A 以条件依赖性方式与 RNA 二级结构反相关，盐特异性 m ⁶ A 与盐胁迫期间 mRNA 二级结构的减少相关。综上所述，我们认为盐特异性 m ⁶ A 沉积和相关的 RNA 二级结构损失导致编码非生物应激反应蛋白的转录本的 mRNA 稳定性增加，并最终增加这些稳定转录本的蛋白质水平。总的来说，我们的综合分析揭示了植物长期盐胁迫响应和适应的重要转录后调控机制。