RNA-mediated epigenetic heredity requires the cytosine methyltransferase Dnmt2

PLoS Genet. 2013 May;9(5):e1003498. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1003498. Epub 2013 May 23.

Abstract

RNA-mediated transmission of phenotypes is an important way to explain non-Mendelian heredity. We have previously shown that small non-coding RNAs can induce hereditary epigenetic variations in mice and act as the transgenerational signalling molecules. Two prominent examples for these paramutations include the epigenetic modulation of the Kit gene, resulting in altered fur coloration, and the modulation of the Sox9 gene, resulting in an overgrowth phenotype. We now report that expression of the Dnmt2 RNA methyltransferase is required for the establishment and hereditary maintenance of both paramutations. Our data show that the Kit paramutant phenotype was not transmitted to the progeny of Dnmt2(-/-) mice and that the Sox9 paramutation was also not established in Dnmt2(-/-) embryos. Similarly, RNA from Dnmt2-negative Kit heterozygotes did not induce the paramutant phenotype when microinjected into Dnmt2-deficient fertilized eggs and microinjection of the miR-124 microRNA failed to induce the characteristic giant phenotype. In agreement with an RNA-mediated mechanism of inheritance, no change was observed in the DNA methylation profiles of the Kit locus between the wild-type and paramutant mice. RNA bisulfite sequencing confirmed Dnmt2-dependent tRNA methylation in mouse sperm and also indicated Dnmt2-dependent cytosine methylation in Kit RNA in paramutant embryos. Together, these findings uncover a novel function of Dnmt2 in RNA-mediated epigenetic heredity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Color
  • Cytosine / metabolism
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / genetics*
  • DNA Methylation / genetics*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / genetics*
  • Female
  • Hair
  • Heredity
  • High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Phenotype
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / metabolism
  • RNA, Small Untranslated / genetics*
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Spermatozoa / cytology
  • Spermatozoa / metabolism

Substances

  • RNA, Small Untranslated
  • SOX9 Transcription Factor
  • Sox9 protein, mouse
  • Cytosine
  • Dnmt2 protein, mouse
  • DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit

Grants and funding

Funding was received from InsermU1091/CNRS7277 and ANR-Programme GENOPAT 2008 EPIPATH-PARAPATH (ANR-08-GENO-011-01) to MR and from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (FOR1082) to FL. FT was supported by the Institute of Genetics and Biophysics A. Buzzati-Traverso, CNR, Italy. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.