Thursday, 5 March 2015

RNA-directed Transcriptional Gene Silencing

Excerpts from Wiki

"RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is an epigenetic process first discovered in plants (Wassenegger et al, 1994, Cell, Vol 76, 567-576). Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are processed to 21-24 nucleotide small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and guide methylation of homologous DNA loci."

"Besides RNA molecules, a plethora of proteins are involved in the establishment of RNA-directed DNA methylation, like Argonautes, DNA methyltransferases, chromatin remodelling complexes and the plant-specific PolIV and PolV. All these act in concert to add a methyl-group at the 5' position of cytosines. In contrast to animals, cytosines at all sequence context (CG, CHG, CHH) may get de novo methylated in plants."

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