The dynamic process by which nuclear RNAi engages a transcriptionally active target, before the repressive state is stably established, remains largely a mystery. Here, we found that the onset of exogenous dsRNA-induced nuclear RNAi in C. elegans is a transgenerational process, and it requires a putative histone methyltransferase (HMT), SET-32. By developing a CRISPR-based genetic approach, we found that silencing establishment at the endogenous targets of germline nuclear RNAi also requires SET-32. Although SET-32 and two H3K9 HMTs, MET-2 and SET-25, are dispensable for the maintenance of silencing, they do contribute to transcriptional repression in mutants that lack the germline nuclear Argonaute protein HRDE-1, suggesting a conditional role of heterochromatin in the maintenance phase. Our study indicates that (1) establishment and maintenance of siRNA-guided transcriptional repression are two distinct processes with different genetic requirements and (2) the rate-limiting step of the establishment phase is a transgenerational, chromatin-based process.
Pubmed ID: 30463021 RIS Download
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A commercial antibody supplier which supplies primary and secondary antibodies, biochemicals, proteins, peptides, lysates, immunoassays and other kits.
View all literature mentionsCenter that acquires, maintains, and distributes genetic stocks and information about stocks of the small free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans for use by investigators initiating or continuing research on this genetic model organism. A searchable strain database, general information about C. elegans, and links to key Web sites of use to scientists, including WormBase, WormAtlas, and WormBook are available.
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets H3K9me3
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets POLR2AphosphoS2
View all literature mentionsSoftware ultrafast memory efficient tool for aligning sequencing reads. Bowtie is short read aligner.
View all literature mentionsSoftware ultrafast memory efficient tool for aligning sequencing reads. Bowtie is short read aligner.
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets POLR2AphosphoS2
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets H3K9me3
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets H3K9me3
View all literature mentionsThis polyclonal targets POLR2AphosphoS2
View all literature mentions