ARGONAUTE4 control of locus-specific siRNA accumulation and DNA and histone methylation

Science. 2003 Jan 31;299(5607):716-9. doi: 10.1126/science.1079695. Epub 2003 Jan 9.

Abstract

Proteins of the ARGONAUTE family are important in diverse posttranscriptional RNA-mediated gene-silencing systems as well as in transcriptional gene silencing in Drosophila and fission yeast and in programmed DNA elimination in Tetrahymena. We cloned ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4) from a screen for mutants that suppress silencing of the Arabidopsis SUPERMAN (SUP) gene. The ago4-1 mutant reactivated silent SUP alleles and decreased CpNpG and asymmetric DNA methylation as well as histone H3 lysine-9 methylation. In addition, ago4-1 blocked histone and DNA methylation and the accumulation of 25-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that correspond to the retroelement AtSN1. These results suggest that AGO4 and long siRNAs direct chromatin modifications, including histone methylation and non-CpG DNA methylation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Arabidopsis / genetics
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / chemistry
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / genetics*
  • Arabidopsis Proteins / metabolism*
  • Argonaute Proteins
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • DNA Methylation*
  • DNA, Plant / metabolism
  • DNA-Cytosine Methylases / genetics
  • DNA-Cytosine Methylases / metabolism
  • Dinucleoside Phosphates / metabolism
  • Gene Silencing
  • Genes, Plant
  • Genes, Suppressor
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Histones / metabolism*
  • Methylation
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism
  • Mutation
  • RNA, Plant / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism*
  • Retroelements
  • Suppression, Genetic
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism

Substances

  • AGO4 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Arabidopsis Proteins
  • Argonaute Proteins
  • DNA, Plant
  • Dinucleoside Phosphates
  • Histones
  • RNA, Plant
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Retroelements
  • Transcription Factors
  • superman protein, Arabidopsis
  • cytidylyl-3'-5'-guanosine
  • DNA-Cytosine Methylases
  • Methyltransferases
  • CMT3 protein, Arabidopsis
  • DRM1 protein, Arabidopsis
  • DRM2 protein, Arabidopsis
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • SUVH4 protein, Arabidopsis