title: RNA-directed DNA methylation and plant development require an IWR1-type transcription factor.
abstract: RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) in plants requires two RNA polymerase (Pol) II-related RNA polymerases, namely Pol IV and Pol V. A genetic screen designed to reveal factors that are important for RdDM in a developmental context in Arabidopsis identified DEFECTIVE IN MERISTEM SILENCING 4 (DMS4). Unlike other mutants defective in RdDM, dms4 mutants have a pleiotropic developmental phenotype. The DMS4 protein is similar to yeast IWR1 (interacts with RNA polymerase II), a conserved putative transcription factor that interacts with Pol II subunits. The DMS4 complementary DNA partly complements the K1 killer toxin hypersensitivity of a yeast iwr1 mutant, suggesting some functional conservation. In the transgenic system studied, mutations in DMS4 directly or indirectly affect Pol IV-dependent secondary short interfering RNAs, Pol V-mediated RdDM, Pol V-dependent synthesis of intergenic non-coding RNA and expression of many Pol II-driven genes. These data suggest that DMS4 might be a regulatory factor for several RNA polymerases, thus explaining its diverse roles in the plant.
authors.affiliation: Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Tatsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bucher
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Daxinger
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huettel
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Kreil
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Breinig
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lind
authors.forename: Manfred J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Stacey A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: Sai Guna Ranjan
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gurazada
authors.forename: Blake C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Meyers
authors.forename: Zdravko J
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Lorkovic
authors.forename: Antonius J M
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Matzke
authors.forename: Marjori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matzke
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; C548147:DMS4 protein, Arabidopsis; D018744:DNA, Plant; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D014157:Transcription Factors; C499181:RNA polymerase IV, Arabidopsis; C538841:RNA polymerase V, Arabidopsis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases