AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus.
Although paramutation has been well-studied at a few hallmark loci involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon remain largely unknown. Previously described actors of paramutation encode components of the RNA-directed DNA-methylation...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2022-01-01
|
| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273695 |
| _version_ | 1811260685702660096 |
|---|---|
| author | Juliette Aubert Fanny Bellegarde Omar Oltehua-Lopez Olivier Leblanc Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez Robert A Martienssen Daniel Grimanelli |
| author_facet | Juliette Aubert Fanny Bellegarde Omar Oltehua-Lopez Olivier Leblanc Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez Robert A Martienssen Daniel Grimanelli |
| author_sort | Juliette Aubert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Although paramutation has been well-studied at a few hallmark loci involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon remain largely unknown. Previously described actors of paramutation encode components of the RNA-directed DNA-methylation (RdDM) pathway that participate in the biogenesis of 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (24-nt siRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs. In this study, we uncover an ARGONAUTE (AGO) protein as an effector of the RdDM pathway that is in charge of guiding 24-nt siRNAs to their DNA target to create de novo DNA methylation. We combined immunoprecipitation, small RNA sequencing and reverse genetics to, first, validate AGO104 as a member of the RdDM effector complex and, then, investigate its role in paramutation. We found that AGO104 binds 24-nt siRNAs involved in RdDM, including those required for paramutation at the b1 locus. We also show that the ago104-5 mutation causes a partial reversion of the paramutation phenotype at the b1 locus, revealed by intermediate pigmentation levels in stem tissues. Therefore, our results place AGO104 as a new member of the RdDM effector complex that plays a role in paramutation at the b1 locus in maize. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:51:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-aeba6ed4a6094a2e8559d7f2a18a8d29 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T18:51:21Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-aeba6ed4a6094a2e8559d7f2a18a8d292022-12-22T03:20:28ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01178e027369510.1371/journal.pone.0273695AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus.Juliette AubertFanny BellegardeOmar Oltehua-LopezOlivier LeblancMario A Arteaga-VazquezRobert A MartienssenDaniel GrimanelliAlthough paramutation has been well-studied at a few hallmark loci involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in maize, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon remain largely unknown. Previously described actors of paramutation encode components of the RNA-directed DNA-methylation (RdDM) pathway that participate in the biogenesis of 24-nucleotide small interfering RNAs (24-nt siRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs. In this study, we uncover an ARGONAUTE (AGO) protein as an effector of the RdDM pathway that is in charge of guiding 24-nt siRNAs to their DNA target to create de novo DNA methylation. We combined immunoprecipitation, small RNA sequencing and reverse genetics to, first, validate AGO104 as a member of the RdDM effector complex and, then, investigate its role in paramutation. We found that AGO104 binds 24-nt siRNAs involved in RdDM, including those required for paramutation at the b1 locus. We also show that the ago104-5 mutation causes a partial reversion of the paramutation phenotype at the b1 locus, revealed by intermediate pigmentation levels in stem tissues. Therefore, our results place AGO104 as a new member of the RdDM effector complex that plays a role in paramutation at the b1 locus in maize.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273695 |
| spellingShingle | Juliette Aubert Fanny Bellegarde Omar Oltehua-Lopez Olivier Leblanc Mario A Arteaga-Vazquez Robert A Martienssen Daniel Grimanelli AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. PLoS ONE |
| title | AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. |
| title_full | AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. |
| title_fullStr | AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. |
| title_full_unstemmed | AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. |
| title_short | AGO104 is a RdDM effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus. |
| title_sort | ago104 is a rddm effector of paramutation at the maize b1 locus |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273695 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT julietteaubert ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT fannybellegarde ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT omaroltehualopez ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT olivierleblanc ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT marioaarteagavazquez ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT robertamartienssen ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus AT danielgrimanelli ago104isarddmeffectorofparamutationatthemaizeb1locus |