N6-Methyladenosine Modifications in the Female Reproductive System: Roles in Gonad Development and Diseases.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent chemical modification in eukaryotic messenger RNAs. By participating in various RNA-related bioprocesses including RNA decay, splicing, transport and translation, m6A serves as a pivotal regulator of RNA fate and plays an irreplaceable role in cellular activities. The m6A modifications of transcripts are coordinately regulated by methyltransferase "writers" and demethylase "erasers", and produce variable effects via different m6A reading protein "readers". There is emerging evidence that m6A modifications play a critical role in a variety of physiological and pathological processes in the female reproductive system, subsequently affecting female fertility. Here, we introduce recent advances in research on m6A regulators and their functions, then highlight the role of m6A in gonad development and female reproductive diseases, as well as the underlying mechanisms driving these processes.