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DNA methylation systems and targets in plants
Author(s) -
Meyer Peter
Publication year - 2011
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.2010.08.017
Subject(s) - dna methylation , euchromatin , rna directed dna methylation , biology , epigenomics , epigenetics , histone methylation , genetics , epigenetics of physical exercise , dna demethylation , methylation , heterochromatin , dna , histone methyltransferase , chromatin , gene , gene expression
Plants contain three distinct DNA methyltransferase types that are responsible for the establishment and maintenance of cytosine methylation patterns at heterochromatic and euchromatic target regions. RNA transcripts play an important role in recruiting DNA methylation systems to specific loci, where methylation patterns are controlled by distinct epigenetic pathways that often work co‐operatively and in competition with demethylation functions. DNA methylation patterns are faithfully propagated by maintenance systems that involve re‐enforcing feedback effects between DNA methylation and histone marks. Our detailed knowledge about the composition of DNA methylation patterns is contrasted by a poorer understanding of the variability of DNA methylation and its contribution to gene regulation, genome evolution and adaptation to environmental changes.