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Male fertility in Arabidopsis requires active DNA demethylation of genes that control pollen tube function

Author

Listed:
  • Souraya Khouider

    (PSL Research University)

  • Filipe Borges

    (Cold Spring Harbor
    INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay)

  • Chantal LeBlanc

    (Cold Spring Harbor
    Yale University)

  • Alexander Ungru

    (Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research)

  • Arp Schnittger

    (Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research
    CNRS, University Strasbourg
    University Hamburg)

  • Robert Martienssen

    (Cold Spring Harbor)

  • Vincent Colot

    (PSL Research University)

  • Daniel Bouyer

    (PSL Research University
    CNRS, University Strasbourg
    UnivLyon, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, CNRS, INRAE)

Abstract

Active DNA demethylation is required for sexual reproduction in plants but the molecular determinants underlying this epigenetic control are not known. Here, we show in Arabidopsis thaliana that the DNA glycosylases DEMETER (DME) and REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1) act semi-redundantly in the vegetative cell of pollen to demethylate DNA and ensure proper pollen tube progression. Moreover, we identify six pollen-specific genes with increased DNA methylation as well as reduced expression in dme and dme;ros1. We further show that for four of these genes, reinstalling their expression individually in mutant pollen is sufficient to improve male fertility. Our findings demonstrate an essential role of active DNA demethylation in regulating genes involved in pollen function.

Suggested Citation

  • Souraya Khouider & Filipe Borges & Chantal LeBlanc & Alexander Ungru & Arp Schnittger & Robert Martienssen & Vincent Colot & Daniel Bouyer, 2021. "Male fertility in Arabidopsis requires active DNA demethylation of genes that control pollen tube function," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-20606-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20606-1
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