The Arabidopsis RNA-Directed DNA Methylation Argonautes Functionally Diverge Based on Their Expression and Interaction with Target Loci

Argonaute (AGO) effectors of RNA silencing bind small RNA (sRNA) molecules and mediate mRNA cleavage, translational repression, or epigenetic DNA modification. In many organisms, these targeting mechanisms are devolved to different products of AGO multigene families. To investigate the basis of AGO functional diversification, we characterized three closely related Arabidopsis thaliana AGOs (AGO4, AGO6, and AGO9) implicated in RNA-directed DNA methylation. All three AGOs bound 5′ adenosine 24-nucleotide sRNAs, but each exhibited different preferences for sRNAs from different heterochromatin-associated loci. This difference was reduced when AGO6 and AGO9 were expressed from the AGO4 promoter, indicating that the functional diversification was partially due to differential expression of the corresponding genes. However, the AGO4-directed pattern of sRNA accumulation and DNA methylation was not fully recapitulated with AGO6 or AGO9 expressed from the AGO4 promoter. Here, we show that sRNA length and 5′ nucleotide do not account for the observed functional diversification of these AGOs. Instead, the selectivity of sRNA binding is determined by the coincident expression of the AGO and sRNA-generating loci, and epigenetic modification is influenced by interactions between the AGO protein and the different target loci. These findings highlight the importance of tissue specificity and AGO-associated proteins in influencing epigenetic modifications.     

Difference Analysis of ClCYC2-Like Genes Expression and DNA Methylation Between the Two Types of Florets in Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification, that is involved in the regulation of gene expression and cell differentiation, and plays an important regulatory role in flower development in higher plants. There are two types of florets on the capitulum in the genus Chrysanthemum, the flower symmetry factor CYCLOIDEA (CYC) 2-like genes may be important candidate genes for determining the identity of the two types of florets. In this study, the diploid plant Chrysanthemum lavandulifolium was used as the research material, and qRT-PCR and bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction (BSP) were used to identify the expression and DNA methylation pattern of CYC2-like genes in the two types of florets. Gene expression analysis showed that the six ClCYC2-like genes were significantly different in the two types of florets, and the expression levels of ClCYC2c, ClCYC2d, ClCYC2e and ClCYC2f in the ray florets were significantly higher than those in the disc florets. For the DNA methylation analysis of the three genes ClCYC2c, ClCYC2d, and ClCYC2e, it was found that the DNA methylation levels of these three genes were negative correlated with their expression levels, and the ways in which the three genes were regulated by the DNA methylation were different. It is speculated that the different DNA methylation of ClCYC2-like genes in the two types of florets may affect the differentiation and development of the two types of florets. This study provides new clues about epigenetics for the analysis of capitulum formation in Asteraceae.

     

拟南芥幼苗超低温保存后DNA甲基化的遗传变异

运用MSAP技术分析了拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）幼苗超低温保存后DNA甲基化的遗传变异情况。结果表明,在扩增的662条带中,对照和2个处理及其第2代间完全一致的带型有598条：发生变化的带型有64条,其中能遗传给第2代的有48条,占变异条带的75％。与对照相比,经超低温保存的样品新产生的甲基化位点有14个,而去甲基化的位点有22个。经过处理但未冷冻的与冷冻处理组之间带型一致的有624条,差异条带有38条,占5.7％,而对照与未冷冻处理组的差异率是7．45％,对照与冷冻处理组之间的差异率是6。63％。可见,拟南芥在超低温保存中,无论是经液氮冷冻还是未经冷冻处理,对材料的甲基化状态均有影响,而这种甲基化变化大部分是可以遗传的。     

拟南芥幼苗超低温保存后DNA甲基化的遗传变异

运用MSAP技术分析了拟南芥(Arabidopsis thaliana)幼苗超低温保存后DNA甲基化的遗传变异情况。结果表明, 在扩增的662条带中, 对照和2个处理及其第2代间完全一致的带型有598条; 发生变化的带型有64条, 其中能遗传给第2代的有48条, 占变异条带的75%。与对照相比, 经超低温保存的样品新产生的甲基化位点有14个, 而去甲基化的位点有22个。经过处理但未冷冻的与冷冻处理组之间带型一致的有624条, 差异条带有38条, 占5.7%, 而对照与未冷冻处理组的差异率是7.45%, 对照与冷冻处理组之间的差异率是6.63%。可见, 拟南芥在超低温保存中, 无论是经液氮冷冻还是未经冷冻处理, 对材料的甲基化状态均有影响, 而这种甲基化变化大部分是可以遗传的。     

甲基化对牛Igf-2r表达的影响及其在克隆牛发育中的作用

摘要：目的目前认为克隆效率低的主要原因是供体核的不完全重编程（reprogramming）导致在发育过程中一些重要的基因异常表达。本文主要研究表观遗传结构对Igf-2r表达的影响及其在克隆牛发育过程中的作用。方法 首先,运用DNA甲基化转移酶抑制剂5'-脱氧胞苷（5'-azacytidine,5'-AzaC）处理MDBK细胞（牛肾上皮细胞）,并通过实时荧光定量PCR方法对Igf-2r基因的表达进行定量分析。在此基础上,应用亚硫酸盐甲基化测序法检测5头克隆牛及1头正常牛脑、肺、心、肝组织Igf-2r印迹调控区DMR 2（DNA differentially methylated region,DMR）及非印迹调控区3'-UTR（3'-untranslated region,UTR）的DNA甲基化水平。结果 5'-aza处理MDBK细胞后,Igf-2r基因的表达上调。正常牛各组织中Igf-2r DMR 2区的DNA甲基化程度差异较大,3'-UTR区较稳定;与正常牛相比,克隆牛DMR 2区的甲基化程度变化较大,3'-UTR区无显著性变化。结论 DNA甲基化修饰影响Igf-2r基因的表达。正常牛不同组织中Igf-2r基因DMR 2区的DNA甲基化程度不同,提示Igf-2r基因的印迹调控方式在不同组织中可能不同。克隆牛发育过程中,调控Igf-2r基因印迹的DMR 2表观结构被明显改变,而非印迹调控区3'-UTR则无明显变化,提示Igf-2r基因印迹调控区被破坏,很可能是导致克隆牛发育异常的一个重要原因。关键词：Igf-2r,表观遗传结构,克隆牛,DNA甲基化,基因印迹     

从功能部件看小干扰RNA表达载体的发展

RNA干扰作为转录后基因沉默的有效途径,在基因调控、功能分析及疾病防治等领域发挥重要作用。小干扰RNA表达载体的诞生实现了RNA干扰技术持续、稳定和可控性应用,是实现基因沉默的理想选择。目前干扰性小RNA表达载体虽已发展到第二代,也开发出多种商品化的产品,但依然未能很好地解决其高效、安全、可控性方面的矛盾,发展陷入了瓶颈期。因此,从载体自身角度出发,通过系统分析其功能部件的特点,纵观小RNA载体的历史渊源、发展现状、存在问题和发展方向等问题,为干扰性小RNA表达载体的优化与选择提供相关理论指导。     

Relatively Small Contribution of Methylation and Genomic Copy Number Aberration to the Aberrant Expression of Inflammation-Related Genes in HBV-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BackgroundIt is well known that chronic inflammation plays a pivotal role in the development of hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the causes behind aberrant expression of inflammation-related genes occurred in HCC remain unclear.MethodsWe performed array-based analyses to comprehensively investigate the contributions of DNA methylation and somatic copy number aberration (SCNA) to the aberrant expression of 1,027 inflammation-related genes in 30 HCCs and paired non-tumor tissues. The results were validated in public datasets and an additional sample set of 47 paired HCCs and non-tumor tissues.ResultsWe identified 252 differentially expressed, 125 aberrantly methylated and 287 copy number changed inflammation-related genes. Despite reasonable statistical power, among them, only 11 genes and 56 genes whose aberrant expression was associated with DNA methylation or SCNA, respectively. DNA methylation and SCNA together contributed to less than 30% aberrant expression of inflammation-related genes.ConclusionThese results suggest that molecular mechanisms other than DNA methylation and SCNA might play major role in the regulation of aberrant expression of inflammation-related gene in HBV-related HCCs.     

Sequence-Specific Methylation of Ribosomal RNA Genes Contained in the Nuclear DNA of Tobacco

Using various restriction endonucleases, methylation of nuclearribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) was investigated. Results indicatethat cytosine residues of C-G dinucleotides of Nicotiana glaucarDNA are heavily methylated. ¹This work was supported in part by a grant from the ScienceResearch Fund of the Ministry of Education, Science and Cultureof Japan. (Received April 8, 1982; Accepted June 24, 1982)