N6-adenosine methylation of ribosomal RNA affects lipid oxidation and stress resistance.

During stress, global translation is reduced, but specific transcripts are actively translated. How stress-responsive mRNAs are selectively translated is unknown. We show that METL-5 methylates adenosine 1717 on 18 ribosomal RNA in , enhancing selective ribosomal binding and translation of specific mRNAs.