N 6 -methyladenosine (m 6 A), the most prevalent post-transcriptional RNA modification in eukaryotes, plays crucial roles in modulating plant-pathogen interactions. However, the global m 6 A epi-transcriptomic landscape and its mechanistic contributions to sugarcane ( Saccharum spp.) resistance against Xanthomonas albilineans remain poorly characterized. Here, we present the first comprehensive transcriptome-wide m 6 A profiling of two sugarcane lines with differential resistance to X. albilineans . MeRIP-seq revealed 24,440 consensus peaks mapped to 19,216 genes across resistant (NSF1-R15) and susceptible (NSF1-S06) lines under pathogen challenge, with approximately 80% of peaks localized to coding sequences, 3’ untranslated regions, and stop codon vicinities. Integrated methylomics-transcriptomics analyses identified 576 genes exhibiting both m 6 A modification dynamics and transcriptional reprogramming during infection. Functional enrichment analyses demonstrated that these dual-regulated genes were significantly associated with plant defense pathways, including pathogen recognition and immune signaling. Evolutionary characterization of m 6 A regulatory machinery revealed conserved methylation-related genes that were markedly up-regulated in resistant lines following X. albilineans exposure. Strikingly, co-expression network analysis suggested that the methyltransferase TPMT may potentially govern sugarcane epigenetic defense response. These findings reveal an association between m 6 A methylation dynamics and sugarcane resistance to X. albilineans , providing potential targets for further research into epigenetic strategies to disease control in sugarcane. ● First m 6 A methylome in sugarcane under biotic stress. ● Integrated m 6 A modification and transcriptional dynamics identified 576 genes during Xa infection. ● Dual-regulated genes are functionally linked to pathogen recognition and immune signaling. ● The conserved genes related to m 6 A machinery were upregulated in resistant sugarcane cultivars. ● WGCNA analysis identified the TPMT as a central regulator for epigenetic defense in sugarcane.
Zhao et al. (Sun,) studied this question.