Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom - TAIR

DNA methylation and transgenerational
epigenetic inheritance
In mammals, cytosine is methylated essentially only in CpG sequences
(mCpGs). In plants in addition to mCpGs, mC is found also at mCpNpG or
mCpNpN sites (N = A or T or C). Interestingly, the maintenance of mCpGs, which
is achieved by similar mechanisms in plants and mammals, is essential for plant
and mammalian development. The primary focus of my presentation will be on
the role of mCpGs in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in Arabidopsis.
Evidence for dynamic interrelationships and feedback regulation of mCpGs and
DNA methylation outside CpGs, nuclear architecture and other epigenetic marks
will be provided. Deficiencies in mCpGs result in epigenetic and genetic
instabilities, activation of epiallelic interactions and uncoordinated activities of
compensatory epigenetic mechanisms. Thus in plants mCpGs patterns provide
the blueprint coordinating stability of epigenetic inheritance, however epigenetic
information can be readily transferred between different epiallelic forms of loci.
28
L03
Wednesday 10:00 - 10:30
RNA World
Jerzy Paszkowski
Laboratory of Plant
Genetics
University of Geneva
Geneva
Switzerland