Atypical RNA polymerase subunits required for RNA-directed DNA methylation

Abstract

RNA-directed DNA methylation, one of several RNA interference–mediated pathways in the nucleus¹, has been documented in plants^2,3 and in human cells^4,5. Despite progress in identifying the DNA methyltransferases, histone-modifying enzymes and RNA interference proteins needed for RNA-directed DNA methylation¹, the mechanism remains incompletely understood. We screened for mutants defective in RNA-directed DNA methylation and silencing of a transgene promoter in Arabidopsis thaliana and identified three drd complementation groups⁶. DRD1 is a SNF2-like protein⁶ required for RNA-directed de novo methylation. We report here that DRD2 and DRD3 correspond to the second-largest subunit and largest subunit, respectively, of a fourth class of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (polymerase IV) that is unique to plants. DRD3 is a functionally diversified homolog of NRPD1a or SDE4, identified in a separate screen for mutants defective in post-transcriptional gene silencing^7,8. The identical DNA methylation patterns observed in all three drd mutants suggest that DRD proteins cooperate to create a substrate for RNA-directed de novo methylation.