Abstract
Active DNA demethylation (enzymatic removal of methylated cytosine) regulates many plant developmental processes. In Arabidopsis, active DNA demethylation entails the base excision repair pathway initiated by the Repressor of silencing 1/Demeter family of bifunctional DNA glycosylases. In this review, we first present an introduction to the recent advances in our understanding about the mechanisms of active DNA demethylation. We then focus on the role of active DNA demethylation in diverse developmental processes in various plant species, including the regulation of seed development, pollen tube formation, stomatal development, fruit ripening, and nodule development. Finally, we discuss future directions of research in the area of active DNA demethylation.
Highlights
DNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved epigenetic mechanism that controls numerous biological processesCommunicated by Tarek Hewezi.DNA demethylation occurs either by passive or active process
This process is initiated by a family of DNA glycosylases including Demeter (DME), Repressor of silencing 1 (ROS1), Demeter-like 2 (DML2), and Demeter-like 3 (DML3)
The binding site for RIPENING INHIBITOR (RIN), a MADS-box transcription factor, was found in the promoters of ripening genes, and those promoters in the rin mutant exhibited DNA hypermethylation (Zhong et al 2013). These findings suggest that SlDML2-mediated active DNA demethylation is somehow facilitated by RIN
Summary
Active DNA demethylation involves the enzymatic removal of methylated cytosine In plants, this process is initiated by a family of DNA glycosylases including Demeter (DME), Repressor of silencing 1 (ROS1), Demeter-like 2 (DML2), and Demeter-like 3 (DML3). In Arabidopsis, the well characterized maternally imprinted genes (maternally expressed genes, MEGs) include flowering wageningen (FWA) (Kinoshita et al 2004), MEDEA (MEA) (Gehring et al 2006), fertilization independent seed 2 (FIS2) (Jullien et al 2006), maternally expressed PAB C-terminal (MPC) (Tiwari et al 2008), AtFH5 (Fitz Gerald et al 2009), Agamous-like (AGL36) (Shirzadi et al 2011), and NUWA (He et al 2017) These genes are maintained in a default silenced state owing to DNA methylation and repressive histone modifications.
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