CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Mutation of Methyltransferase METTL4 Results in Embryonic Defects in Silkworm Bombyx mori.

ABSTRACT: DNA N6-methyladenine (6mA) has recently been found to play regulatory roles in gene expression that links to various biological processes in eukaryotic species. The functional identification of 6mA methyltransferase will be important for understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of epigenetic 6mA methylation. It has been reported that the methyltransferase METTL4 can catalyze the methylation of 6mA; however, the function of METTL4 remains largely unknown. In this study, we aim to investigate the role of the Bombyx mori homolog METTL4 (BmMETTL4) in silkworm, a lepidopteran model insect. By using CRISPR-Cas9 system, we somatically mutated BmMETTL4 in silkworm individuates and found that disruption of BmMETTL4 caused the developmental defect of late silkworm embryo and subsequen

SUBMITTER: Guo H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9965800 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature