RNA m6A Methyltransferase Mettl3 Regulates Spatial Neural Patterning
N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal mRNA modification, and it has a widespread impact on mRNA stability and translation. METTL3 is the methyltransferase responsible for RNA m6A modification, yet the developmental roles of METTL3 in spatial neural patterning are largely unknown owing to the early embryonic lethality of conventional Mettl3-knockout mice. Kim and Jang (e00104-21) report the use of Xenopus laevis embryos to investigate the functional role of Mettl3 during neurulation. The authors show that Mettl3 is required for the anteroposterior neural patterning, neural crest specification, and neuronal differentiation, highlighting the importance of m6A-dependent posttranscriptional gene regulation in spatial neural patterning.