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Originally published in Science Express on 20 November 2003
Science 23 January 2004:
Vol. 303. no. 5657, pp. 521 - 523
DOI: 10.1126/science.1089835
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Reports

One-Way Control of FWA Imprinting in Arabidopsis Endosperm by DNA Methylation

Tetsu Kinoshita,1,2* Asuka Miura,1 Yeonhee Choi,3 Yuki Kinoshita,1 Xiaofeng Cao,4 Steven E. Jacobsen,4,5 Robert L. Fischer,3 Tetsuji Kakutani1,2*

The Arabidopsis FWA gene was initially identified from late-flowering epigenetic mutants that show ectopic FWA expression associated with heritable hypomethylation of repeats around transcription starting sites. Here, we show that wild-type FWA displays imprinted (maternal origin–specific) expression in endosperm. The FWA imprint depends on the maintenance DNA methyltransferase MET1, as is the case in mammals. Unlike mammals, however, the FWA imprint is not established by allele-specific de novo methylation. It is established by maternal gametophyte–specific gene activation, which depends on a DNA glycosylase gene, DEMETER. Because endosperm does not contribute to the next generation, the activated FWA gene need not be silenced again. Double fertilization enables plants to use such "one-way" control of imprinting and DNA methylation in endosperm.

1 Integrated Genetics, National Institute of Genetics, Mishima 411-8540, Japan.
2 Department of Genetics, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Mishima 411-8540, Japan.
3 Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
4 Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
5 Molecular Biology Institute, University of California, Post Office Box 951606, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tekinosh{at}lab.nig.ac.jp, tkakutan{at}lab.nig.ac.jp

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