Open AccessThe PRP6-like splicing factor STA1 is involved in RNA-directed DNA methylation by facilitating the production of Pol V-dependent scaffold RNAs
Author(s) -
Kun Dou,
ChaoFeng Huang,
Zeyang Ma,
CuiJun Zhang,
JinXing Zhou,
Huanwei Huang,
Tao Cai,
Kai Tang,
JianKang Zhu,
XinJian He
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
nucleic acids research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 9.008
H-Index - 537
eISSN - 1362-4954
pISSN - 0305-1048
DOI - 10.1093/nar/gkt639
Subject(s) - biology , dna methylation , rna directed dna methylation , arabidopsis , rna , epigenetics , circular rna , genetics , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , gene expression , mutant
DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic marker in plants and animals. In Arabidopsis, DNA methylation can be established through an RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway. By screening for suppressors of ros1, we identified STA1, a PRP6-like splicing factor, as a new RdDM regulator. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing suggested that STA1 and the RdDM pathway share a large number of common targets in the Arabidopsis genome. Small RNA deep sequencing demonstrated that STA1 is predominantly involved in the accumulation of the siRNAs that depend on both Pol IV and Pol V. Moreover, the sta1 mutation partially reduces the levels of Pol V-dependent RNA transcripts. Immunolocalization assay indicated that STA1 signals are exclusively present in the Cajal body and overlap with AGO4 in most nuclei. STA1 signals are also partially overlap with NRPE1. Localization of STA1 to AGO4 and NRPE1 signals is probably related to the function of STA1 in the RdDM pathway. Based on these results, we propose that STA1 acts downstream of siRNA biogenesis and facilitates the production of Pol V-dependent RNA transcripts in the RdDM pathway.