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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Immunostaining for DNA Modifications: Computational Analysis of Confocal Images
Published on: September 7, 2017
Non-canonical RNA-directed DNA methylation
Diego Cuerda-Gil1, R Keith Slotkin1,2
1Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, 500 Aronoff Laboratory, 318 West Twelfth Avenue, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA.
Abstract:
Small RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) has been extensively studied in plants, resulting in a deep understanding of a major 'canonical RdDM' mechanism. However, current models of canonical RdDM cannot explain how this self-perpetuating mechanism is initiated. Recent investigations into the initiation of epigenetic silencing have determined that there are several alternative 'non-canonical RdDM' pathways that function through distinct mechanisms to modify chromatin. This Review aims to illustrate the diversity of non-canonical RdDM mechanisms described to date, recognize common themes within this dizzying array of interconnected pathways, and identify the key unanswered questions remaining in this field.
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