DNA demethylation affects imprinted gene expression in maize endosperm

Genome Biology

Nathan M. Springer¹  Mei Zhang²  Lin Li³  Leiming Wu³  Qing Li³  Qiang Xu³  Zhixiang Luo³  Jinsheng Lai⁴ 

[1] Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota;Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences;National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University;State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry and National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University;

关键词: DNA demethylation;    Imprinting;    Tissue-specific expression;    Transcription factor binding;    Maize;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13059-022-02641-x

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background DNA demethylation occurs in many species and is involved in diverse biological processes. However, the occurrence and role of DNA demethylation in maize remain unknown. Results We analyze loss-of-function mutants of two major genes encoding DNA demethylases. No significant change in DNA methylation has been detected in these mutants. However, we detect increased DNA methylation levels in the mutants around genes and some transposons. The increase in DNA methylation is accompanied by alteration in gene expression, with a tendency to show downregulation, especially for the genes that are preferentially expressed in endosperm. Imprinted expression of both maternally and paternally expressed genes changes in F1 hybrid with the mutant as female and the wild-type as male parental line, but not in the reciprocal hybrid. This alteration in gene expression is accompanied by allele-specific DNA methylation differences, suggesting that removal of DNA methylation of the maternal allele is required for the proper expression of these imprinted genes. Finally, we demonstrate that hypermethylation in the double mutant is associated with reduced binding of transcription factor to its target, and altered gene expression. Conclusions Our results suggest that active removal of DNA methylation is important for transcription factor binding and proper gene expression in maize endosperm.

【 授权许可】

Unknown