The detection and functions of RNA modification m6A based on m6A writers and erasers

N-6-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most frequent chemical modification in eukaryotic mRNA and is known to participate in a variety of physiological processes, including cancer progression and viral infection. The reversible and dynamic m(6)A modification is installed by m(6)A methyltransferase (writer) enzymes and erased by m(6)A demethylase (eraser) enzymes. m(6)A modification recognized by m(6)A binding proteins (readers) regulates RNA processing and metabolism, leading to downstream biological effects such as promotion of stability and translation or increased degradation. The m(6)A writers and erasers determine the abundance of m(6)A modifications and play decisive roles in its distribution and function. In this review, we focused on m(6)A writers and erasers and present an overview on their known functions and enzymatic molecular mechanisms, showing how they recognize substrates and install or remove m(6)A modifications. We also summarize the current applications of m(6)A writers and erasers for m(6)A detection and highlight the merits and drawbacks of these available methods. Lastly, we describe the biological functions of m(6)A in cancers and viral infection based on research of m(6)A writers and erasers and introduce new assays for m(6)A functionality via programmable m(6)A editing tools.