BioProject

Using a protein interaction screen, we identify the Microprocessor component Drosha as a novel Dnmt1-interactor. More...

Using a protein interaction screen, we identify the Microprocessor component Drosha as a novel Dnmt1-interactor. Drosha-deficient ES cells display genomic hypomethylation which is not accounted for by changes in the levels of Dnmt proteins. Both genetic and transfection studies show that Drosha stimulates Dnmt1 methyltransferase activity. We identify two transcripts that are specifically upregulated in Drosha but not Dicer-deficient ES cells. Regions within these transcripts predicted to form stem-loop structures are processed by Microprocessor and can inhibit DNMT1-mediated methylation in vitro. Our results highlight Drosha as a novel regulator of mammalian DNA methylation and we propose that Drosha-mediated processing of RNA is necessary to ensure full Dnmt1 activity. This adds to the Drosha repertoire of non-miRNA dependent functions as well as implicating RNA in regulating Dnmt1 activity and correct levels of genomic methylation. Overall design: Mapping of 5-methylcytosine in wild type and Drosha-deficient ES cells by MethylC-Seq and mapping of RNA in wild type and Drosha-deficient ES cells by RNA-Seq Less...