Non-perfectly matching small RNAs can induce stable and heritable epigenetic modifications and can be used as molecular markers to trace the origin and fate of silencing RNAs.

ABSTRACT: Short non-coding RNA molecules (sRNAs) play a fundamental role in gene regulation and development in higher organisms. They act as molecular postcodes and guide AGO proteins to target nucleic acids. In plants, sRNA-targeted mRNAs are degraded, reducing gene expression. In contrast, sRNA-targeted DNA sequences undergo cytosine methylation referred to as RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Cytosine methylation can suppress transcription, thus sRNAs are potent regulators of gene expression. sRNA-mediated RdDM is involved in genome stability through transposon silencing, mobile signalling for epigenetic gene control and hybrid vigour. Since cytosine methylation can be passed on to subsequent generations, RdDM contributes to transgenerational inheritance of the epigenome. Using a novel approac

SUBMITTER: Fei Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7913690 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature