title: The DNA methyltransferase DNMT3C protects male germ cells from transposon activity.
abstract: DNA methylation is prevalent in mammalian genomes and plays a central role in the epigenetic control of development. The mammalian DNA methylation machinery is thought to be composed of three DNA methyltransferase enzymes (DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B) and one cofactor (DNMT3L). Here, we describe the discovery of Dnmt3C, a de novo DNA methyltransferase gene that evolved via a duplication of Dnmt3B in rodent genomes and was previously annotated as a pseudogene. We show that DNMT3C is the enzyme responsible for methylating the promoters of evolutionarily young retrotransposons in the male germ line and that this specialized activity is required for mouse fertility. DNMT3C reveals the plasticity of the mammalian DNA methylation system and expands the scope of the mechanisms involved in the epigenetic control of retrotransposons.
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barau
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.|Ecole des Mines, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Aurélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teissandier
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zamudio
authors.affiliation: PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, Tours University, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg University, 67404 Illkirch, France.|Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France.|Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nalesso
authors.affiliation: Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Strasbourg University, 67404 Illkirch, France.|Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR7104, Illkirch, France.|Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U964, Illkirch, France.
authors.forename: Yann
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hérault
authors.affiliation: PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, Tours University, 37380 Nouzilly, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guillou
authors.affiliation: Institut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, CNRS, 75005 Paris, France. deborah.bourchis@curie.fr.
authors.forename: Déborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bourc'his
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea / Q000494:pharmacology; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D007006:Hypogonadism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D018626:Retroelements; D013093:Spermatogonia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D013737:Testis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D018626:Retroelements; C498796:Dnmt3l protein, mouse; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; D005038:Ethylnitrosourea