RESEARCHSCIENCE sciencemag.org
tagged with a fluorescent
label (see the Perspective by
Paxton). This dsRNA module
can be targeted to interfere
with specific bee genes as well
as crucial viral and mite genes.
The authors found that gene
expression could be blocked for
at least 15 days as the symbionts
established in the bees’ guts
and continuously expressed the
dsRNA constructs. S. alvi with
specifically targeted plasmids
not only suppressed infection
with deformed wing virus but
also effectively reduced Va r ro a
mite survival. —CA
Science, this issue p. 573;
see also p. 504
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
A new layer of
transcriptional control
N^6 -methyladenosine (m^6 A)
is the most abundant mes-
senger RNA modification in
almost all eukaryotes. Liu et
al. now show that m^6 A is also
cotranscriptionally added onto
various chromosome-associated
regulatory RNAs (carRNAs) in
mammalian cells. Disruption of
m^6 A modification of these RNAs
increases their abundance and
promotes gene transcription by
increasing the chromatin acces-
sibility. Thus, m^6 A serves as a
switch to regulate carRNA levels
by tuning nearby chromatin
state and downstream transcrip-
tion. —SYM
Science, this issue p. 580
TUBERCULOSIS
Translating TB
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
can cause tuberculosis (TB) in
humans, although the majority
of infected individuals naturally
control infection and never show
symptoms. To better understand
immune control of M. tubercu-
losis, Ahmed et al. compared
a number of gene expression
datasets from infected humans
and different animal models.
Differences in gene expres-
sion between samples linked
to either disease control or
progression revealed potentially
beneficial shared pathways.
Some pathways were tested
by examining M. tuberculosis
infection in gene-deficient inbred
mice. These results highlight
how focusing on commonalities
in TB infection can lead to new
insights for treating TB. —LP
Sci. Transl. Med. 12 , eaay0233 (2020).31 JANUARY 2020 • VOL 367 ISSUE 6477 524-C
Published by AAAS