Characterization of the m6A gene family in sorghum and its function in growth, development and stress resistance

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most common types of RNA modification and is involved in regulating various stages of plant growth and development. Sorghum is a C4 crop with the characteristics of fast growth, high yield, and resistance to salinity and alkalinity. However, the systematic identification of m6A regulatory components in sorghum and the exploration of their potential functions in stress responses have not yet been achieved. In this study, 29 m6A-regulated genes were identified from the genome of sorghum, and gene signatures were analyzed. The potential functions of m6A regulatory components involved in sorghum growth, development, and crop yield were predicted by integrating the expression profiles in different sorghum tissues in a series of developmental stages under different environmental stresses. Most of the m6A-regulated genes were differentially expressed when the response of sorghum to environmental stress was regulated, and the trends were different in response to different environmental stresses. Transient transformation experiments showed that m6A-regulated genes mediated sorghum responses to stress by regulating reactive oxygen species accumulation. The results of this study suggested that m6A-regulated genes played an important role in regulating sorghum growth and responding to environmental stresses, providing a reference for improving crop quality and stress resistance from an epigenetic perspective.