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Paramutation: a trans-homolog interaction affecting heritable gene regulation
1Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA. hollick.3@osu.edu
Current Opinion in Plant Biology
|September 29, 2012
Summary
Paramutation involves heritable gene regulation changes via chromosome interactions. While RNA is implicated, plant paramutations may be an emergent property of genome dynamics, not solely RNA-directed.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Paramutation is a phenomenon of trans-sensing between chromosomes causing heritable changes in gene regulation.
- RNA molecules are known to mediate similar events in various organisms like maize, mouse, and Drosophila.
- Changes in small RNA profiles and cytosine methylation in Arabidopsis hybrids suggest a potential molecular parallel to paramutation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying paramutation-like events in plants.
- To explore the role of RNA molecules versus plant-specific proteins in paramutation.
- To determine if paramutation is a solely RNA-directed process or an emergent genomic property.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of small RNA profiles and cytosine methylation patterns in Arabidopsis hybrids.
- Review of existing literature on paramutation in maize, considering plant-specific proteins.
- Examination of recent findings on transposon interactions with RNA polymerase II in plant genomes.
Main Results:
- Arabidopsis hybrids exhibit changes in small RNA profiles and cytosine methylation, suggesting a paramutation-like mechanism.
- Paramutation in maize requires plant-specific proteins and does not solely rely on RNA-mediated effects.
- Transposons near genes can influence RNA polymerase II, hinting at complex regulatory interactions.
Conclusions:
- Paramutation in plants may not be exclusively RNA-directed.
- Paramutation might represent an emergent property of transcriptional dynamics within plant genomes.
- The interplay between repetitive genomic features and nearby genes is crucial for understanding paramutation.
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