3.8 BPH infestation regulated m6A modifications and expression of BPH resistance genes
The expression levels of nine Bphs were analyzed by RT-qPCR, and combined with a detailed analysis of the m6A modification positions. In the BPH-infected group, the expression of 8 candidate genes, exceptBph6 , were upregulated. Fold changes in Bph14 ,Bph30 , Bph40 , andBphi008a were 7.80, 2.01, 1.59, and 7.57, respectively (Figure 4a). Four genes showed upregulated m6A modifications:Bph14 contained 12 upregulated and 1 downregulated differential m6A site, Bph30 and Bph40contained relatively more upregulated differential m6A sites, whereasBph6 only contained 5 downregulated differential m6A sites (Supporting Information: Table S11, S12). All the genes showed a positive correlation between the direction of m6A modification and transcript regulation, highlighting that m6A modification is involved in the regulation of riceBph genes expression.