Long non-coding RNA produced by RNA polymerase V determines boundaries of heterochromatin
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ABSTRACT: We report genome-wide detection of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) generate by Pol V in transcriptional gene silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana. We further show that most of these transcripts are bound by AGO4. RNA immunoprecipitation followed by high-throughput sequencing (RIP-seq) RNA immunoprecipitation with an anti-AGO4 antibody was performed in one biological replicate and included Col-0, nrpe1, and ago4-1; RNA immunoprecipitation with an anti-NRPE1 (largest subunit of Pol V) was performed in two replicates; replicate 1 included Col-0 and nrpe1, replicated two included Col-0, nrpe1, ago4-1, and idn2-1
Project description:Transcriptional gene silencing controls transposons and other repetitive elements through RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) and heterochromatin formation. A key component of the Arabidopsis RdDM pathway is ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4), which associates with sizs to mediate DNA methylation. Here, we show that AGO4 preferentially targets transposable elements embedded within promoters of protein-coding genes. This pattern of AGO4 binding cannot be simply explained by the sequences of AGO4-bound siRNAs; instead, AGO4 binding to specific gene promoters is also mediated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) produced by RNA polymerase V. lncRNA-mediated AGO4 binding to gene promoters directs asymmetric DNA methylation to these genomic regions and is involved in regulating the expression of targeted genes. Finally, AGO4 binding overlaps sites of DNA methylation affected by the biotic stress response. Based on these findings, we propose that the targets of AGO4-directed RdDM are regulatory units responsible for controlling gene expression under specific environmental conditions. ChIP-seq experiments using AGO4 antibody of WT (Col-0) and ago4 or nrpe1 mutant plants of Arabidopsis thaliana
Project description:RNA-mediated transcriptional silencing prevents deleterious effects of transposon activity and controls the expression of protein-coding genes. It involves long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)1, which in Arabidopsis thaliana are produced by a specialized RNA Polymerase V (Pol V)2. lncRNAs guide Argonaute-siRNA complexes to specific genomic loci and mediate the establishment of DNA methylation3,4. The mechanism by which lncRNAs affect chromatin structure and mRNA production remains mostly unknown. Here we identify the SWI/SNF nucleosome remodeling complex as a component of the RNA-mediated transcriptional silencing pathway. We found that SWI3, an essential subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, physically interacts with a lncRNA-binding IDN2 protein5,6. RNA-mediated DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing was compromised in the swi3 mutant. Moreover, targets of SWI/SNF significantly overlapped with genes controlled by Pol V, which shows that the physical interaction reflects a functional relationship. We further found that non-coding transcription by Pol V affects nucleosome positioning on silenced regions. We propose that lncRNAs mediate transcriptional silencing by guiding the SWI/SNF complex and establishing positioned nucleosomes on specific genomic loci. We further propose that guiding ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes may be a more general function of lncRNAs. H3 ChIP-seq of 2 samples (Col-0 and nrpe1) with 2 biological repeats.
Project description:The plant-specific DNA-dependent RNA polymerase V (Pol V) evolved from Pol II to function in an RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway. Here, we have identified targets of Pol V in Arabidopsis thaliana on a genome-wide scale using ChIP-seq of NRPE1, the largest catalytic subunit of Pol V. We found that Pol V is enriched at promoters and evolutionarily recent transposons. This localization pattern is highly correlated with Pol V-dependent DNA methylation and small RNA accumulation. We also show that genome-wide association of Pol V with chromatin is dependent on all members of a putative chromatin-remodeling complex termed DDR. Our study presents the first genome-wide view of Pol V occupancy and sheds light on the mechanistic basis of Pol V localization. Furthermore, these findings suggest a role for Pol V and RNA-directed DNA methylation in genome surveillance and in responding to genome evolution. For wild type plants (ecotype Columbia) and nrpe1 mutants whole-genome small RNA (sRNA-seq) and bisulfite sequencing (BS-seq) was performed. In addition whole genome chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-seq) was performed on wild type (ecotype Columbia) plants as a negative control with experimentals consiting of wild type plants carrying a C-terminally epitope tagged (2XFLAG) NRPE1, as well as the NRPE1-FLAG construct in drd1, dms3, and rdm1 mutant backgrounds.
Project description:RNA-mediated transcriptional silencing prevents deleterious effects of transposon activity and controls the expression of protein-coding genes. It involves long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs)1, which in Arabidopsis thaliana are produced by a specialized RNA Polymerase V (Pol V)2. lncRNAs guide Argonaute-siRNA complexes to specific genomic loci and mediate the establishment of DNA methylation3,4. The mechanism by which lncRNAs affect chromatin structure and mRNA production remains mostly unknown. Here we identify the SWI/SNF nucleosome remodeling complex as a component of the RNA-mediated transcriptional silencing pathway. We found that SWI3, an essential subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, physically interacts with a lncRNA-binding IDN2 protein5,6. RNA-mediated DNA methylation and transcriptional silencing was compromised in the swi3 mutant. Moreover, targets of SWI/SNF significantly overlapped with genes controlled by Pol V, which shows that the physical interaction reflects a functional relationship. We further found that non-coding transcription by Pol V affects nucleosome positioning on silenced regions. We propose that lncRNAs mediate transcriptional silencing by guiding the SWI/SNF complex and establishing positioned nucleosomes on specific genomic loci. We further propose that guiding ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes may be a more general function of lncRNAs. Mnase-seq of 2 samples (Col-0 and nrpe1).
Project description:DNA methylation is a mechanism of epigenetic gene regulation and genome defense conserved in many eukaryotic organisms. In Arabidopsis, the DNA methyltransferase DRM2 controls RNA-directed DNA methylation in a pathway that also involves the plant specific RNA Polymerase V (Pol V). The Arabidopsis genome also encodes an evolutionarily conserved but catalytically inactive DNA methyltransferase DRM3. Here, we show that DRM3 has moderate effects on global RNA-directed DNA methylation and small RNA abundance throughout the genome, and DRM3 protein physically interacts with Pol V. In drm3 mutants, we observe a lower level of Pol V-dependent transcripts, even though Pol V chromatin occupancy is increased at many sites in the genome. These findings suggest that DRM3 acts to promote Pol V transcriptional elongation or assist in the stabilization of Pol V transcripts, and shed further light on the mechanism of RNA-directed DNA methylation. For wildtype plants as well as drm3, drm2, and nrpe1 mutants ChIP-seq was carried out using an endogenous NRPE1 antibody given to us by the Craig Pikaard lab. Two biological replicates of ChIP-seq were also carried out using anti-Flag resin on wildtype and drm3 plants carrying a Flag epitope tagged version of NRPE1. Small RNA sequencing was carried out on Col, drm3, drm2, and nrpe1 plants. Finally, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing analysis was carried out on previously published datasets (as detailed below) which were realigned using a newer genome version and mapping protocol. As such the updated processed files are part of this submission. Please note that the drm2, drm3, and nrpe1 mutant libraries used in this study were previously published (GSE39901), as were the 2 other Col replicates used (GSE36129) as below and thus duplicated sample records were created for the convenient retrieval of the complete raw data from SRA; Bisulfite_seq-Col_1 - GSM881756 Bisulfite_seq-Col_2 - GSM1193638 Bisulfite_seq-drm3 - GSM981017 Bisulfite_seq-drm2 - GSM981015 Bisulfite_seq-nrpe1- GSM981040
Project description:Illumina TruSeq mRNA libraries for 4 RNA-directed DNA methylation mutants Examining mRNA levels in leaf tissue of RNA-directed DNA methylation mutants
Project description:RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is a de novo DNA methylation mechanism in plants that plays a fundamental role in plant defence against invasive DNA and in maintaining genome stability by silencing transposons and repetitive sequences. Using nuclear RNA immunoprecipitation, we constructed a highly enriched library and obtained sequences of ncRNAs specifically associated with Argonaute 4 (AGO4), a key component of RNA-directed DNA methylation. A negative immunoprecipation (IP) library was prepared using IP RNA from tissues that don't express the target protein. A nuclear RNA library was also prepared using nuclei isolated RNA. Three libraries (1X FLAGAGO4 IP, 1X negative IP, 1X nuclear RNA). RNA-IP or nuclear RNA seq cDNA libraries were prepared using the template-switch cDNA library preparation method derived from Zhao et al (2010), and subjected to Illumina GAIIx single end sequencing (100bp)
Project description:AGO3 predominantly bound 24-nt sRNAs with 5â terminal adenine. The spectrum of AGO3-associated sRNAs was different from those bound to AGO2. By contrast, approximately 30% of AGO3-bound 24-nt sRNAs overlapped with those bound to AGO4 and over 60% of AGO3-associated 24-nt sRNA enriched loci were identical to those of AGO4. In addition, expression of AGO3 driven by AGO4 native promoter partially complemented AGO4 function and rescued DNA methylation defect in ago4-1 background. Examination of DNA methylation using bisulfite conversion of unmethylated cytosines in three genetic backgrounds of Arabidopsis thaliana.
Project description:Imp2 -/- mice were subjected to a number of characterization assays, including RNA-Seq of various tissues, Characterization of IMP2 -/- mice including various metabolic measurements.