RNA modifications are the next frontier to understand gene regulation, influencing Proper folding, Transcription, Splicing, Translation, RNA transport, RNA localization, and Immune responses, among others. There are currently 173 different RNA modifications, but the community is focused on only 6 of them. Another major strand of my future program builds directly on the creation of a comprehensive Plant RNA Modification Atlas. In the short term, I will use LC–MS (see figure) and Nanopore direct RNA sequencing, protocols already established in my lab, to catalog and quantify at least 43 different modifications, including pseudouridine and m6A, across species, tissues, and stresses (biotic and abiotic). These experiments are technically demanding but feasible, and will quickly produce valuable community datasets. 

Over the longer term, I envision the Atlas becoming a cornerstone resource, integrated with existing genomic and transcriptomic platforms. This project carries a high-reward potential: it could reveal how modifications determine exRNA stability, secretion, and uptake, and allow us to link epitranscriptomic signatures with stress responses and developmental transitions.