Abstract
DNA methylation is one of the key processes that regulate gene expression by epigenetic silencing of transcription. RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is one such epigenetic process that involves both short and long non-coding RNAs. In plants, most DNA methylation takes place through classical RdDM pathway triggered by siRNAs. Contrary to this, miRNAs have been shown to play a little role in DNA methylation. However, several recent studies have provided the evidence for miRNA-directed DNA methylation in plants. These miRNA-directed DNA methylation includes the roles of not only the canonical small (20–22 nt) miRNAs but all those of long miRNAs, siRNAs generated from miRNA precursors, and also of siRNAs generated from various miRNA cleavage products. The working mechanism of many of these diverse pathways is still not clear. In this chapter, we overview the salient features of miRNA-directed DNA methylation in plants and discuss several intricacies of such an event.
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