title: A role for RNAi in the selective correction of DNA methylation defects.
abstract: DNA methylation is essential for silencing transposable elements and some genes in higher eukaryotes, which suggests that this modification must be tightly controlled. However, accidental changes in DNA methylation can be transmitted through mitosis (as in cancer) or meiosis, leading to epiallelic variation. We demonstrated the existence of an efficient mechanism that protects against transgenerational loss of DNA methylation in Arabidopsis. Remethylation is specific to the subset of heavily methylated repeats that are targeted by the RNA interference (RNAi) machinery. This process does not spread into flanking regions, is usually progressive over several generations, and faithfully restores wild-type methylation over target sequences in an RNAi-dependent manner. Our findings suggest an important role for RNAi in protecting genomes against long-term epigenetic defects.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherche en Génomique Végétale, CNRS UMR 8114, Institut National de la Recherche Argonomique UMR 1165, Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne, 91057 Evry Cedex, France.
authors.forename: Felipe Karam
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Teixeira
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heredia
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarazin
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roudier
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Boccara
authors.forename: Constance
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciaudo
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cruaud
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Poulain
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berdasco
authors.forename: Mario F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Fraga
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Voinnet
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wincker
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteller
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Colot
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018745:Genome, Plant; D009154:Mutation; D034622:RNA Interference; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012091:Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C118957:DDM1 protein, Arabidopsis; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D018744:DNA, Plant; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014157:Transcription Factors; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase