DEMETER and REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 encode 5-methylcytosine DNA glycosylases.

ABSTRACT: Cytosine methylation is an epigenetic mark that promotes gene silencing and plays important roles in development and genome defense against transposons. Methylation patterns are established and maintained by DNA methyltransferases that catalyze transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to cytosine bases in DNA. Erasure of cytosine methylation occurs during development, but the enzymatic basis of active demethylation remains controversial. In Arabidopsis thaliana, DEMETER (DME) activates the maternal expression of two imprinted genes silenced by methylation, and REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1) is required for release of transcriptional silencing of a hypermethylated transgene. DME and ROS1 encode two closely related DNA glycosylase domain proteins, but it is unknown whether th

SUBMITTER: Morales-Ruiz T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1458983 | biostudies-literature | 2006 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature