An RNA polymerase II- and AGO4-associated protein acts in RNA-directed DNA methylation.
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark in many eukaryotes. In plants, 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) bound to the effector protein, Argonaute 4 (AGO4), can direct de novo DNA methylation by the methyltransferase DRM2 (refs 2, 4-6). Here we report a new regulator of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) in Arabidopsis: RDM1. Loss-of-function mutations in the RDM1 gene impair the accumulation of 24-nucleotide siRNAs, reduce DNA methylation, and release transcriptional gene silencing at RdDM target loci. RDM1 encodes a small protein that seems to bind single-stranded methyl DNA, and associates and co-localizes with RNA polymerase II (Pol II, also known as NRPB), AGO4 and DRM2 in the nucleus. Our results indicate that RDM1 is a component of the RdDM effector complex and may have a role in linking siRNA production with pre-existing or de novo cytosine methylation. Our results also indicate that, although RDM1 and Pol V (also known as NRPE) may function together at some RdDM target sites in the peri-nucleolar siRNA processing centre, Pol II rather than Pol V is associated with the RdDM effector complex at target sites in the nucleoplasm.
Gao
Zhihuan
Z
Institute for Integrative Genome Biology and Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.
Liu
Hai-Liang
HL
Daxinger
Lucia
L
Pontes
Olga
O
He
Xinjian
X
Qian
Weiqiang
W
Lin
Huixin
H
Xie
Mingtang
M
Lorkovic
Zdravko J
ZJ
Zhang
Shoudong
S
Miki
Daisuke
D
Zhan
Xiangqiang
X
Pontier
Dominique
D
Lagrange
Thierry
T
Jin
Hailing
H
Matzke
Antonius J M
AJ
Matzke
Marjori
M
Pikaard
Craig S
CS
Zhu
Jian-Kang
JK
D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000378:metabolism*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D020868:Gene Silencing / Q000502:physiology; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation; D012319:RNA Polymerase II / Q000378:metabolism*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000378:metabolism*
C471209:AGO4 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D060565:Argonaute Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C549271:RDM1 protein, Arabidopsis; D018749:RNA, Plant; D008780:Methyltransferases; C470732:DRM2 protein, Arabidopsis; D012319:RNA Polymerase II
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