Negative regulation of DNA methylation in plants

Cytosine methylation of repeats and genes is important for coordination of genome stability and proper gene function. In plants, DNA methylation is regulated by DNA methyltransferases, chromatin remodeling factors and RNAi machinery. Ectopic DNA hypermethylation at genes causes transcriptional repression and silencing, and the methylation patterns often become heritable over generations. DNA methylation is antagonized by the DNA demethylation enzymes. Recently, we identified a novel jmjC-domain containing gene IBM1 (increase in bonsai methylation1) that also negatively regulates DNA methylation in Arabidopsis. The ibm1 plants show a variety of developmental phenotypes. IBM1 prevents ectopic accumulation of DNA methylation at the BNS genic region, likely through removal of heterochromatic H3K9 methylation mark. DNA and histone demethylation pathways are important for genome-wide patterning of DNA methylation and for epigenetic regulation of plant development.