title: Twenty-four-nucleotide siRNAs produce heritable trans-chromosomal methylation in F1 Arabidopsis hybrids.
abstract: Hybrid Arabidopsis plants undergo epigenetic reprogramming producing decreased levels of 24-nt siRNAs and altered patterns of DNA methylation that can affect gene expression. Driving the changes in methylation are the processes trans-chromosomal methylation (TCM) and trans-chromosomal demethylation (TCdM). In TCM/TCdM the methylation state of one allele is altered to resemble the other allele. We show that Pol IV-dependent sRNAs are required to establish TCM events. The changes in DNA methylation and the associated changes in sRNA levels in the F1 hybrid can be maintained in subsequent generations and affect hundreds of regions in the F2 epigenome. The inheritance of these altered epigenetic states varies in F2 individuals, resulting in individuals with genetically identical loci displaying different epigenetic states and gene expression profiles. The change in methylation at these regions is associated with the presence of sRNAs. Loci without any sRNA activity can have altered methylation states, suggesting that a sRNA-independent mechanism may also contribute to the altered methylation state of the F1 and F2 generations.
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia.
authors: Ian K
authors: IK
authors: Greaves
authors: Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology Sciences, Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors: Steven R
authors: SR
authors: Eichten
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia.|Division of Plant Sciences, Research School of Biology Sciences, Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: Groszmann
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia.
authors: Aihua
authors: A
authors: Wang
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia.|Division of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, ANU, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Ying
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia; jim.peacock@csiro.au.|University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors: W James
authors: WJ
authors: Peacock
authors: Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organization Agriculture and Food, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory (ACT) 2601, Australia.|University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
authors: Elizabeth S
authors: ES
authors: Dennis
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D032461:Chromosomes, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D056426:Genetic Loci; D006823:Hybrid Vigor; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D040582:Inheritance Patterns / Q000235:genetics; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018749:RNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D057945:Self-Fertilization / Q000235:genetics; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D018744:DNA, Plant; D009711:Nucleotides; D018749:RNA, Plant; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C499181:RNA polymerase IV, Arabidopsis; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: DNA methylation; RNA-dependent DNA methylation; gene expression; heterosis; hybrid vigor