Locus-specific control of the de novo DNA methylation pathway in Arabidopsis by the CLASSY family.

ABSTRACT: DNA methylation is essential for gene regulation, transposon silencing and imprinting. Although the generation of specific DNA methylation patterns is critical for these processes, how methylation is regulated at individual loci remains unclear. Here we show that a family of four putative chromatin remodeling factors, CLASSY (CLSY) 1-4, are required for both locus-specific and global regulation of DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mechanistically, these factors act in connection with RNA polymerase-IV (Pol-IV) to control the production of 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (24nt-siRNAs), which guide DNA methylation. Individually, the CLSYs regulate Pol-IV-chromatin association and 24nt-siRNA production at thousands of distinct loci, and together, they regulate essentially all 24nt

SUBMITTER: Zhou M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6317521 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature