Interaction of noncoding RNA with the rDNA promoter mediates recruitment of DNMT3b and silencing of rRNA genes

  1. Ingrid Grummt2
  1. Division of Molecular Biology of the Cell II, German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
    1. 1 These authors contributed equally to this work.

    Abstract

    Noncoding RNAs are important components of regulatory networks controlling the epigenetic state of chromatin. We analyzed the role of pRNA (promoter-associated RNA), a noncoding RNA that is complementary to the rDNA promoter, in mediating de novo CpG methylation of rRNA genes (rDNA). We show that pRNA interacts with the target site of the transcription factor TTF-I, forming a DNA:RNA triplex that is specifically recognized by the DNA methyltransferase DNMT3b. The results reveal a compelling new mechanism of RNA-dependent DNA methylation, suggesting that recruitment of DNMT3b by DNA:RNA triplexes may be a common and generally used pathway in epigenetic regulation.

    Keywords

    Footnotes

    • Received April 28, 2010.
    • Accepted August 26, 2010.
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