RNAi of met1 reduces DNA methylation and induces genome-specific changes in gene expression and centromeric small RNA accumulation in Arabidopsis allopolyploids.

ABSTRACT: Changes in genome structure and gene expression have been documented in both resynthesized and natural allopolyploids that contain two or more divergent genomes. The underlying mechanisms for rapid and stochastic changes in gene expression are unknown. Arabidopsis suecica is a natural allotetraploid derived from the extant A. thaliana and A. arenosa genomes that are homeologous in the allotetraploid. Here we report that RNAi of met1 reduced DNA methylation and altered the expression of approximately 200 genes, many of which encode transposons, predicted proteins, and centromeric and heterochromatic RNAs. Reduced DNA methylation occurred frequently in promoter regions of the upregulated genes, and an En/Spm-like transposon was reactivated in met1-RNAi A. suecica lines. Derepression of trans

SUBMITTER: Chen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2323781 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature