N⁶-methyladenine (N⁶-mA, m⁶dA, or 6mA), a prevalent DNA modification in prokaryotes, has recently been identified in higher eukaryotes, including mammals. Although 6mA has been well-studied in prokaryotes, the function and regulatory mechanism of 6mA in eukaryotes are still poorly understood. Recent studies indicate that 6mA can serve as an epigenetic mark and play critical roles in various biological processes, from transposable-element suppression to environmental stress response. Here, we review the significant advances in methodology for 6mA detection and major progress in understanding the regulation and function of this non-canonical DNA methylation in eukaryotes, predominantly mammals.

N ⁶ -甲基腺嘌呤（N ⁶ -mA、m ⁶ dA 或 6mA）是原核生物中普遍存在的 DNA 修饰，最近已在包括哺乳动物在内的高等真核生物中发现。虽然6mA在原核生物中的研究已经很好，但6mA在真核生物中的功能和调控机制仍然知之甚少。最近的研究表明，6mA 可以作为表观遗传标记，并在各种生物过程中发挥关键作用，从转座因子抑制到环境应激反应。在这里，我们回顾了 6mA 检测方法的重大进展，以及在理解真核生物（主要是哺乳动物）中这种非规范 DNA 甲基化的调节和功能方面的重大进展。