RNA Polymerase IV Directs Silencing of Endogenous DNA

作者：Alan J. Herr, Maj‐Britt Jensen, Tamás Dalmay, David C. Baulcombe · 发表于：Science · 年份：2005 · DOI：10.1126/science.1106910 · 被引用次数：728 · 研究领域：Plant Virus Research Studies、Chromosomal and Genetic Variations、CRISPR and Genetic Engineering

Plants encode subunits for a fourth RNA polymerase (Pol IV) in addition to the well-known DNA-dependent RNA polymerases I, II, and III. By mutation of the two largest subunits (NRPD1a and NRPD2), we show that Pol IV silences certain transposons and repetitive DNA in a short interfering RNA pathway involving RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 2 and Dicer-like 3. The existence of this distinct silencing polymerase may explain the paradoxical involvement of an RNA silencing pathway in maintenance of transcriptional silencing.