Home LiteratureArticle Details
PMID: 19377477 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

RNA polymerase V transcription guides ARGONAUTE4 to chromatin.

Nature genetics ·Vol. 41 ·No. 5 ·2009-05-00 ·Pages 630-4

Wierzbicki AT, Ream TS, Haag JR, Pikaard CS

Abstract

Retrotransposons and repetitive DNA elements in eukaryotes are silenced by small RNA-directed heterochromatin formation. In Arabidopsis, this process involves 24-nt siRNAs that bind to ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4) and facilitate the targeting of complementary loci via unknown mechanisms. Nuclear RNA polymerase V (Pol V) is an RNA silencing enzyme recently shown to generate noncoding transcripts at loci silenced by 24-nt siRNAs. We show that AGO4 physically interacts with these Pol V transcripts and is thereby recruited to the corresponding chromatin. We further show that DEFECTIVE IN MERISTEM SILENCING3 (DMS3), a structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) hinge-domain protein, functions in the assembly of Pol V transcription initiation or elongation complexes. Collectively, our data suggest that AGO4 is guided to target loci through base-pairing of associated siRNAs with nascent Pol V transcripts.

MeSH Terms
Arabidopsis/enzymology,genetics,metabolism Arabidopsis Proteins/genetics,metabolism Argonaute Proteins Chromatin/metabolism Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone/genetics,metabolism DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases/metabolism Models, Biological RNA, Small Interfering/metabolism Transcription, Genetic
Chemicals
AGO4 protein, Arabidopsis Arabidopsis Proteins Argonaute Proteins Chromatin Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone DMS3 protein, Arabidopsis RNA, Small Interfering RNA polymerase V, Arabidopsis DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
Authors & Affiliations
4 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Wierzbicki Andrzej T
Biology Department, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
Ream Thomas S
Haag Jeremy R
Pikaard Craig S
References (21)
21 references, click to expand
  1. Specialization and evolution of endogenous small RNA pathways.
    Nat Rev Genet. 2007 Nov;8(11):884-96 PMID: 17943195
  2. Tethering RITS to a nascent transcript initiates RNAi- and heterochromatin-dependent gene silencing.
    Cell. 2006 Jun 2;125(5):873-86 PMID: 16751098
  3. Conserved themes in small-RNA-mediated transposon control.
    Trends Cell Biol. 2008 Mar;18(3):136-48 PMID: 18282709
  4. Atypical RNA polymerase subunits required for RNA-directed DNA methylation.
    Nat Genet. 2005 Jul;37(7):761-5 PMID: 15924141
  5. A structural-maintenance-of-chromosomes hinge domain-containing protein is required for RNA-directed DNA methylation.
    Nat Genet. 2008 May;40(5):670-5 PMID: 18425128
  6. A SNF2-like protein facilitates dynamic control of DNA methylation.
    EMBO Rep. 2005 Jul;6(7):649-55 PMID: 15947783
  7. Plant ARGONAUTES.
    Trends Plant Sci. 2008 Jul;13(7):350-8 PMID: 18508405
  8. Noncoding transcription by RNA polymerase Pol IVb/Pol V mediates transcriptional silencing of overlapping and adjacent genes.
    Cell. 2008 Nov 14;135(4):635-48 PMID: 19013275
  9. Role of the DRM and CMT3 methyltransferases in RNA-directed DNA methylation.
    Curr Biol. 2003 Dec 16;13(24):2212-7 PMID: 14680640
  10. Reinforcement of silencing at transposons and highly repeated sequences requires the concerted action of two distinct RNA polymerases IV in Arabidopsis.
    Genes Dev. 2005 Sep 1;19(17):2030-40 PMID: 16140984
  11. Highly integrated single-base resolution maps of the epigenome in Arabidopsis.
    Cell. 2008 May 2;133(3):523-36 PMID: 18423832
  12. Metal A and metal B sites of nuclear RNA polymerases Pol IV and Pol V are required for siRNA-dependent DNA methylation and gene silencing.
    PLoS One. 2009;4(1):e4110 PMID: 19119310
  13. Genome-wide profiling and analysis of Arabidopsis siRNAs.
    PLoS Biol. 2007 Mar;5(3):e57 PMID: 17298187
  14. Genetic and functional diversification of small RNA pathways in plants.
    PLoS Biol. 2004 May;2(5):E104 PMID: 15024409
  15. Reiterated WG/GW motifs form functionally and evolutionarily conserved ARGONAUTE-binding platforms in RNAi-related components.
    Genes Dev. 2007 Oct 15;21(20):2539-44 PMID: 17938239
  16. The Arabidopsis chromatin-modifying nuclear siRNA pathway involves a nucleolar RNA processing center.
    Cell. 2006 Jul 14;126(1):79-92 PMID: 16839878
  17. Transcription and RNAi in heterochromatic gene silencing.
    Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2007 Nov;14(11):1041-8 PMID: 17984966
  18. An ARGONAUTE4-containing nuclear processing center colocalized with Cajal bodies in Arabidopsis thaliana.
    Cell. 2006 Jul 14;126(1):93-106 PMID: 16839879
  19. Linking cohesin to gene regulation.
    Cell. 2008 Mar 21;132(6):925-8 PMID: 18358805
  20. Plant nuclear RNA polymerase IV mediates siRNA and DNA methylation-dependent heterochromatin formation.
    Cell. 2005 Mar 11;120(5):613-22 PMID: 15766525
  21. Partitioning and plasticity of repressive histone methylation states in mammalian chromatin.
    Mol Cell. 2003 Dec;12(6):1577-89 PMID: 14690609
Article Info
Journal
Nature genetics
Abbr.
Nat Genet
ISSN
1546-1718
DOI
10.1038/ng.365
Published
2009-05-00
Epub
2009-00-19
Pages
630-4
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
9216904
PMCID
PMC2674513
Subset
IM
Grants
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM077590 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · R01 GM077590-03 · United States
NIGMS NIH HHS · GM077590 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1038/ng.365 PMC Full Text View journal details
Analysis Services
Analysis Services

Contact

No. 2 Wenbo Road, Zhangqiu District, Jinan, Shandong

Qilu Normal University · Genelibs Bioinformatics Lab

750 Shunhua Rd, Jinan

2F, Bldg F, University Science Park

Tel: 0531-88819269

WeChat Official Account

Follow our WeChat subscription account for real-time updates and the latest in medical and biological research.


Business Email

E-mail: product@genelibs.com

Copyright © 2026.Genelibs Jinan Honghui Biotechnology Co., Ltd. 鲁ICP备20007159号-2