N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation in poultry growth, reproduction, metabolism, and disease: a review.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most abundant internal chemical modifications in eukaryotic RNA. Advances in sequencing technology have driven m6A research in poultry. Partial m6A transcriptome maps have been constructed in species such as chickens, ducks, and geese, and the associations and potential functions of m6A in muscle development, reproductive regulation, nutrient metabolism, stress responses, and infectious diseases have been increasingly characterized. Current poultry m6A studies remain relatively scattered, and a dedicated synthesis of this field is still lacking. To address this gap, this review integrates relevant studies published in poultry over the past decade and summarizes research linking m6A modification to skeletal muscle growth and myofiber-type transitions, intramuscular fat deposition, follicle selection and laying performance, primordial germ cell formation, lipid metabolism and fatty liver development, nutritional regulation, chronic stress, and viral and bacterial infections. The review also examines the current limitations of poultry m6A research and identifies priorities for future research.