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Transgenically expressed viral RNA silencing suppressors interfere with microRNA methylation in Arabidopsis
Author(s) -
Yu Bin,
Chapman Elisabeth J.,
Yang Zhiyong,
Carrington James C.,
Chen Xuemei
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.04.063
Subject(s) - microrna , methylation , gene silencing , suppressor , biology , rna silencing , rna , small rna , rna induced silencing complex , methyltransferase , epigenetics , trans acting sirna , rna directed dna methylation , microbiology and biotechnology , dna methylation , genetics , non coding rna , rna interference , gene , gene expression
HEN1‐dependent methylation of the 3′‐terminal nucleotide is a crucial step in plant microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis. Here we report that several viral RNA silencing suppressors (P1/HC‐Pro, p21 and p19) inhibit miRNA methylation. These suppressors have distinct effects on different miRNAs. We also show that miRNA ∗ is methylated in vivo in a suppressor‐sensitive manner, suggesting that the viral proteins interfere with miRNA/miRNA ∗ duplexes. p19 and p21 bind both methylated and unmethylated miRNA/miRNA ∗ duplexes in vivo. These findings suggest miRNA/miRNA ∗ as the in vivo substrates for the HEN1 miRNA methyltransferase and raise intriguing possibilities regarding the cellular location of miRNA methylation.