N⁶-methyl-2′-deoxyadenosine (6mA or m⁶dA) has been reported in the DNA of prokaryotes and eukaryotes ranging from unicellular protozoa and algae to multicellular plants and mammals. It has been proposed to modulate DNA structure and transcription, transmit information across generations and have a role in disease, among other functions. However, its existence in more recently evolved eukaryotes remains a topic of debate. Recent technological advancements have facilitated the identification and quantification of 6mA even when the modification is exceptionally rare, but each approach has limitations. Critical assessment of existing data, rigorous design of future studies and further development of methods will be required to confirm the presence and biological functions of 6mA in multicellular eukaryotes.

N ⁶ -甲基-2′-脱氧腺苷（6mA 或 m ⁶据报道，dA)存在于从单细胞原生动物和藻类到多细胞植物和哺乳动物的原核生物和真核生物的DNA中。它被认为可以调节 DNA 结构和转录、跨代传递信息、在疾病中发挥作用等。然而，它在最近进化的真核生物中的存在仍然是一个争论的话题。最近的技术进步促进了 6mA 的识别和量化，即使修改极其罕见，但每种方法都有局限性。需要对现有数据进行严格评估、未来研究的严格设计以及进一步开发方法来确认多细胞真核生物中 6mA 的存在及其生物学功能。