Takeaway
Mammalian m6dA methyltransferase (N6amt1)-mediated accumulation of N6-methyl-2'-deoxyadenosine (m6dA) is dynamically regulated in the mammalian genome and its deposition drives activity-induced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) exon IV mRNA expression which is required for the extinction of conditioned fear.
Why this matters
These results expand the scope of experience-dependent DNA modifications in the brain highlighting that the information-processing capacity of DNA in post-mitotic neurons is more complicated than originally thought
The results also indicate that many functional DNA modifications that play diverse roles in the epigenetic regulation of experience-dependent gene expression, learning and memory remain to be discovered.