Epitranscriptomic control of plant 18S rRNA m6A modification for mRNA translation

N 6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a prevalent and functionally significant RNA modification regulating mRNA metabolism. While m6A modification in plant mRNA is well-characterized, its role in ribosomal RNA (rRNA) function has remained largely unexplored in plants. In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of two recent findings that Arabidopsis rRNA N(6)-adenosine-methyltransferase 5 (METTL5) specifically mediates m6A deposition at position A1771 of the 18S rRNA—an event that plays a pivotal role in ribosome assembly and translation of stress-responsive genes.