Role for RNAi in the Selective Correction of DNA Methylation Defects

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2009-03, Vol.323 (5921), p.1600-1604
• Main Authors: Teixeira, Felipe Karam, Heredia, Fabiana, Sarazin, Alexis, Roudier, François, Boccara, Martine, Ciaudo, Constance, Cruaud, Corinne, Poulain, Julie, Berdasco, Maria, Fraga, Mario F, Voinnet, Olivier, Wincker, Patrick, Esteller, Manel, Colot, Vincent
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arabidopsis; Arabidopsis - genetics; Arabidopsis - growth & development; Arabidopsis - metabolism; Arabidopsis Proteins - genetics; Arabidopsis Proteins - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Botany; Cell division; Chromatin. Chromosome; Crosses, Genetic; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA Methylation; DNA Transposable Elements; DNA, Plant - genetics; DNA, Plant - metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Epigenetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genome, Plant; Genomes; Genomics; Life Sciences; Methylation; Molecular and cellular biology; Molecular genetics; Mutation; Percentages; Repetitive Sequences, Nucleic Acid; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA Interference; RNA Replicase - genetics; RNA Replicase - metabolism; RNA, Plant - genetics; RNA, Plant - metabolism; RNA, Small Interfering - genetics; RNA, Small Interfering - metabolism; Sequencing; Small interfering RNA; Transcription Factors - genetics; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transposons
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.1165313

DNA methylation is essential for silencing transposable elements and some genes in higher eukaryotes, which suggests that this modification must be tightly controlled. However, accidental changes in DNA methylation can be transmitted through mitosis (as in cancer) or meiosis, leading to epiallelic variation. We demonstrated the existence of an efficient mechanism that protects against transgenerational loss of DNA methylation in ARABIDOPSIS: Remethylation is specific to the subset of heavily methylated repeats that are targeted by the RNA interference (RNAi) machinery. This process does not spread into flanking regions, is usually progressive over several generations, and faithfully restores wild-type methylation over target sequences in an RNAi-dependent manner. Our findings suggest an important role for RNAi in protecting genomes against long-term epigenetic defects.