Transcription and methylation of flax rDNA

Pattern and degree of methylation in ribosomal RNA genes of Cucurbita pepo L

Methylation with respect to its degree and distribution throughout the 18S, 5.8S and 25S rRNA gene clusters (rDNA) and within single rDNA repeats in seedlings of the higher plant Cucurbita pepo L. (zucchini) was investigated. In this plant, which is characterized by several thousand repeats, at least 70% are completely or nearly completely methylated in CpGs and to a lower degree in CpNpGs. Detailed methylation analysis revealed that a fraction of about 3-4% of all repeats is hypomethylated near the transcription initiation site (TIS) which may indicate the fraction of active repeats in C. pepo. However, a different fraction (3-4% of all repeats) which is not methylated in all sites tested (including those at the TIS) is present in C. pepo and may thus represent active but differentially methylated rDNA. The results are discussed in context of recent models on methylation and gene activity.

Ribosomal DNA variation and population differentiation in Salicornia L

Analysis of nuclear rDNA variation within and between populations of Salicornia from the salt marsh at Stiffkey, Norfolk has detected new patterns of genetic differentiation. Individual plants may have alternative 10.5 and 12 kb repeat units. A strong association between the frequency of particular genetic variants and the environmental gradient of tidal inundation was evident. Salicornia dolichostachya Moss from sandy flats on the lowest parts of the marsh, near to the seaward edge, and S. fragilis Ball & Tutin from deep creeks were both monomorphic for the 12 kb variant; in contrast, S. pusilla J. Woods, characteristic of the highest parts of the tidal range, was monomorphic for the 10-5 kb variant. The more phenotypically variable S. europaea L. and S. ramosissima J. Woods populations that are found in large areas of lower and upper marsh, respectively, were heterogeneous for rDNA variant type. Nevertheless, the frequency of the 12 kb variant was significantly higher in plants from the lower marsh than in those from upper marsh, and in plants from low-lying pans than in those from raised interfluves; the 10.5 kb variant had the converse distribution. Variation in rDNA was not obviously associated with variation in morphology, or with variations in isozyme frequency established previously. Comparison of these results with those for populations from an extensive study, ranging from Anglesey (N. Wales) to S.W. Spain and the Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, suggested that the rDNA variation and its association with environmental variation are complex and site-dependent. Plants from Anglesey had 10.5 and 11.5 kb variants, whereas only a 10-75 kb variant was detected in material from Spain and Saudi Arabia. rDNA variants were used as genetic markers in order to test the hypothesis that Salicornia is predominantly an inbreeder; conventional breeding experiments have been hampered by its highly specialized morphology and this represents the first direct, sensitive test of an idea that has been suggested mainly on morphological and phenological grounds. Analysis of rDNA in 38 maternal plants from Stiffkey and 2112 of their progeny provided no evidence for out-crossing.

Pulsed field gel electrophoresis reveals chromosome length differences between strains of Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Fulvia fulva)

Methods are described for the electrophoretic separation of chromosome-sized DNA molecules from the fungal tomato pathogen Cladosporium fulvum (syn. Fulvia fulva). Using a hexagonal electrode array and switching times of 75 min at 45 V for 14 days, nine bands could be resolved. By comparison with co-electrophoresed Aspergillus nidulans chromosomal DNA (which was resolved into seven bands), the sizes of the C. fulvum bands are estimated to be between 1.9 Mb and 5.4 Mb. The two largest bands are believed to be doublets, giving a minimum genome size of 44 Mb. Cloned probes for the ribosomal DNA repeat, an anonymous single copy fragment and a newly discovered retrotransposon were hybridized to blots of the pulsed field gels, demonstrating the use of this technique for genomic mapping. Most strains of C. fulvum had an identical pattern of bands. Two strains exhibited two polymorphisms which could be due to a translocation.

5-Azacytidine-induced hypomethylation of tobacco HRS60 tandem DNA repeats in tissue culture

The methylation status and 5-azacytidine-induced hypomethylation of CCGG sites within a family of tandemly organized, highly repeated DNA sequences of the Nicotiana tabacum L. nuclear genome (HRS60 family) were studied. As shown by in-situ hybridization experiments, the HRS60 family is clustered in a few regions of some tobacco chromosomes. The DNAs of leaf-derived calli, leaf-derived calli cultured on media with 5-azacytidine, and leaves were cleaved with restriction endonucleases differing in the sensitivity to the methylation of cytosine. After electrophoresis and Southern blotting they were hybridized with the HRS60 probe. We show that (i) CpG dinucleotides, and partially also CpCpG trinucleotides, of the HRS60 family are methylated in DNAs of the non-treated calli and leaves, and (ii) that these DNA repeats are sensitive to the action of a hypomethylating drug, 5-azacytidine.

The inheritance of genetic markers in microspore-derived plants of barley Hordeum vulgare L

Biochemical, molecular and morphological markers have been used to monitor the segregation of alleles at major gene loci in microspore-derived lines of four spring barley crosses and their parents. Significant deviations from the expected Mendelian ratios were observed for four of the ten markers studied in the cross. Distorted ratios were associated with loci located on chromosomes 4H and 6H. The differential transmission of alleles was in favour of the responsive parent (Blenheim) used in the anther culture studies. For the α-Amy-1 locus on chromosome 6H, the preferential transmission of Blenheim alleles was most pronounced in the haploid regenerants that were colchicine treated. These results are discussed in relation to the genetic control of androgenetic response in barley and with respect to the exploitation of another culture in barley improvement.

Predominance and tissue specificity of adenine methylation in rice

Using 'A' and 'C' methylation-specific restriction enzymes, namely, MboI, Sau3AI, DpnI, MspI, and HpaII, total rice cv Basmati 370 DNA, repetitive DNAs, and a specific repeat sequence indicated an abundance of adenine methylation. Although cytosine methylation in 5'-CCGG-3' sequences suggested more CpC methylation than CpG, the 'C' methylation in sequence 5'-GATC-3' was comparatively less than 'A' methylation. Furthermore, the presence of adenine methylation was tissue specific; it was predominant in rice shoot DNA as compared to embryo DNA. This pattern was also observed in two other cultivars of rice, i.e., R-24 and Sona, and was again confirmed using a cloned probe of a specific repeat sequence. Besides the changes in adenine methylation, there was also a qualitative change in 5mC from CpG to CpC dinucleotides in these two tissue systems.

Methylated and undermethylated rDNA repeats are interspersed at random in two higher plant species

The organization of methylated rDNA repeats of radish and pea is described and it is shown that methylated repeats and non-methylated repeats are interspersed one with another. Methylated arrays are not much longer than 100 kb, or about 10 repeat units in length.

Regulation of cytosine methylation in ribosomal DNA and nucleolus organizer expression in wheat

Cytosine methylation has been studied in wheat rRNA genes at nucleolar organizers displaying different activities. The methylation pattern within a specific multigene locus is influenced by the number and type of rRNA genes in other rDNA loci in the cell. One CCGG site 164 base-pairs upstream from the start of transcription is preferentially unmethylated in some genes. Dominant, very active loci have a higher proportion of rRNA genes with unmethylated cytosine residues in comparison with recessive and inactive loci. It is concluded that cytosine methylation in rDNA is regulated and that the methylation pattern correlates with the transcription potential of an rRNA gene.

Structural and transcriptional characterization of the external spacer of a ribosomal RNA nuclear gene from a higher plant

A lambda recombinant phage, carrying a radish rDNA fragment spanning the complete external spacer and its borders, has been isolated and characterized by sequencing. The fragment is 2911 bp long and includes 486 bp of the 3' end of the 25S rRNA sequence, 2349 bp of spacer and the first 76 bp of the 5' end of the 18S rRNA sequence. The spacer can be divided into three regions: two unique domains flanking a 830-bp region of repeated sequences. Seven repeats ranging from 80 to 103 bp can be recognized. They are separated by short arrays of 12-21 adenylic residues. Each repeat slightly differs from the others by single-nucleotide changes or short deletions. Examination of single-nucleotide changes common to two units suggests that a duplication arose during the evolution of this sequence. The repeated region was subcloned and used as a probe to demonstrate that it is highly species-specific: in stringent conditions it does not cross-hybridize with the spacer of ribosomal genes from closely related species such as Brassica. Transcription products, starting or finishing within the spacer sequence, were mapped by northern blotting, primer extension and S1 mapping. Two major precursors were identified starting respectively at positions 2095 and 2280. The region surrounding the start at 2095 presents extensive homology with an analogous region in maize, rye, mung bean, Xenopus and tse-tse fly. However, longer transcripts can be detected. Several 3' ends downstream of the 25S terminus were also observed. Taken together these results indicate that rDNA transcription and pre-rRNA processing in plants are more complex than anticipated from previous studies.

DNA methylation and tissue-specific transcription of the storage protein genes of maize

We investigated the methylation state of a set of storage protein genes of maize, coding for zeins and glutelins, in different somatic tissues and in developing endosperms. These genes, present as multigene families in the maize genome and organized in clusters on different chromosomes, are coordinately and specifically transcribed only in endosperm cells. Southern blot analysis of DNA digested with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes shows a specific and extensive undermethylation of zein and glutelin sequences in the endosperm, while a common methylated pattern is detected in the different somatic tissues and in the embryo. However, a constant fraction of endosperm DNA (∼35%) is methylated at all zein sequences, which are found to be heavily modified in pollen DNA as well. Undermethylation is extended along a zein cluster and cannot be explained by reduced levels of 5-methylcytosine in endosperm DNA with respect to other tissues. The undermethylated state of storage protein genes is already established at an early stage of endosperm development, when transcripts levels for both genes are almost undetectable.

DNA methylation in wheat. Purification and properties of DNA methyltransferase

The origin and function of the large amount of 5-methylcytosine in plant DNA is not well understood. As a tool for in vitro studies of methylcytosine formation in plants we have isolated and characterized the DNA methyltransferase present in germinating wheat embryo. An enzyme fraction enriched 300-fold over the tissue homogenate was obtained by salt extraction of nuclei, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Sephadex G-75, blue Sepharose and on DNA immobilized on cellulose. It catalyzes the methylation of cytosine residues in double-stranded DNAs isolated from wheat, maize, calf thymus or bacteria using S-adenosylmethionine as methyl donor. The efficient methylation of both an unmethylated plasmid DNA and its hemimethylated derivative indicate that the wheat DNA methylase can function de novo and in maintenance methylation. A relative molecular mass of 50,000-55,000 was estimated by gel permeation chromatography and sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the presence of a protein of Mr = 50,000 and one other component (Mr = 35,000). The preference for endogenous, double-stranded DNA as substrate and the lower molecular mass distinguish wheat DNA methyltransferase from the DNA methylases obtained from mammalian sources. The properties of the wheat enzyme resemble, however, those of the DNA methylase isolated from the alga Chlamydomonas reinhardii, suggesting that plant cells possess their own type of DNA methyltransferase for the biosynthesis of their high methylcytosine content in DNA.

Ribosomal DNA methylation in a flax genotroph and a crown gall tumour

The methylation patterns of two flax lines are described. One, a genotroph S1, has 800 rNA genes per haploid cell while FT37/1, a crown gall tumour incited on S1, has only 300. Using the enzymes EcoRII, BstNI and ApyI to assess CXG methylation and HpaII and MspI for CG, we show that the methylation patterns of the rDNAs of both lines are identical. Both lines contain 3 fractions; the first contains repeats that are methylated at all sites examined and the second has some unmethylated sites. The third fraction contains repeats that are fully methylated but contain a discrete hypomethylated site at the 5' end of the pre-rRNA. The number of repeats which show these hypomethylated sites is constant in both lines despite the copy number difference. These may represent the active rRNA gene repeats.

Developmental regulation of cytosine methylation in the nuclear ribosomal RNA genes of Pisum sativum

Prominent features of the cytosine methylation pattern of the Pisum sativum nuclear ribosomal RNA genes have been defined. Cytosine methylation within the C-C-G-G sequence was studied using the restriction enzymes HpaII and MspI and gel blot hybridizations of the restriction digests. The extent to which particular features of the methylation pattern change during seedling development has also been determined. Total cellular DNA, purified from defined sections of pea seedlings grown under different lighting conditions, was analyzed with DNA hybridization probes derived from different portions of a cloned member of the nuclear rRNA gene family. By use of an indirect end-labeling technique, a map of 23 cleavable HpaII and/or MspI sites in genomic rDNA was constructed. The map covers about 90% of the rDNA repeat including the entire non-transcribed spacer region and most of the rRNA coding sequences. One notable feature of the map is that the most prominent HpaII site, located about 800 base-pairs upstream from the 5' end of the mature 18 S rRNA, is cleaved only in one of the two most abundant rDNA length variants (the short variant). With a gel blot assay specific for cleavage at this site, we estimated the HpaII sensitivity of DNA preparations from several stages of pea seedling development. We find that, while methylation is generally low in young seedlings, DNA obtained from the apical buds of pea seedlings is highly methylated. Further, the methylation level of rDNA within the pea bud decreases as the buds are allowed to develop under continuous white light. Our data, taken together with published studies on pea seedling development, indicate that cytosine methylation levels may be related to the regulated expression of the nuclear rRNA genes in pea.

An under-methylated region in the spacer of ribosomal RNA genes of Lilium henryi

Ribosomal RNA genes of Lilium henryi are almost completely methylated at CG and CNG sequences. A short under-methylated region was detected between 2.05 and 2.4 kbp upstream of the 18S sequences. It included the only sites of digestion by four methylation-sensitive restriction endonucleases - PstI, Hae II, Eco RII and Hpa II. Only about 15%-20% of rDNA repeats from shoot meristem are susceptible to each of the enzymes. The same repeats are apparently cut by all enzymes and occur in contiguous blocks. Because the region involved is likely to include regulatory sequences it may be that under-methylation occurs specifically in active rDNA repeats. To test this, rDNA was examined from pollen mother cells at pachytene where transcription has fallen to near zero. Under-methylation levels here were similar to those in shoot meristem tissue. Thus methylation of this region is not the agent responsible for rDNA gene inactivation in pachytene cells and it does not occur immediately genes become inactive. Even so, sequences in this region might be prevented from becoming methylated in transcribing repeats.

Differential gene activity visualized on sister chromatids after replication in the presence of 5-azacytidine

Mitotic chromosomes with sister chromatids bearing differentially active ribosomal gene clusters were recovered from human lymphocytes exposed to 5-azacytidine. The hypothesis was that the differential activity was determined by the hypomethylation of one of the two sister chromatids. The verification was carried out by "labeling" the 5-azacytidine-substituted chromatid with BUdR, and then checking the location of active clusters by specific staining techniques. Data obtained confirmed that the chromatid bearing the active cluster was indeed the 5-azacytidine-substituted one.

Methylation Pattern of Radish (Raphanus sativus) Nuclear Ribosomal RNA Genes

The methylation pattern of radish Raphanus sativus nuclear rDNA has been investigated using the Hpa II, Msp I, and Hha I restriction enzymes. The presence of numerous target sites for these enzymes has been shown using cloned rDNA fragments. A large fraction of the numerous rDNA units are heavily methylated, being completely resistant to Hpa II and Hpa I. However, specific sites are constantly available in another fraction of the units and are therefore unmethylated. The use of different probes allowed us to demonstrate that hypomethylated sites are present in different regions. Major hypomethylated Hha I sites have been mapped in the 5' portion of 25S rRNA coding sequence. Among the hypomethylated fraction, different methylation patterns coexist. It has been possible to demonstrate that methylation patterns are specific for particular units. The Hha I pattern of rDNA in tissues of different developmental stages was analyzed. Evidence for possible tissue specific differences in the methylation pattern is reported.