TY - JOUR T1 - The MOM1 complex recruits the RdDM machinery via MORC6 to establish <em>de novo</em> DNA methylation JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/2023.01.10.523455 SP - 2023.01.10.523455 AU - Zheng Li AU - Ming Wang AU - Zhenhui Zhong AU - Javier Gallego-Bartolomé AU - Suhua Feng AU - Yasaman Jami-Alahmadi AU - Xinyi Wang AU - James Wohlschlegel AU - Sylvain Bischof AU - Jeffrey A. Long AU - Steven E. Jacobsen Y1 - 2023/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2023/01/10/2023.01.10.523455.abstract N2 - MOM1 is an Arabidopsis factor previously shown to mediate transcriptional silencing independent of major DNA methylation changes. Here we found that MOM1 localizes with sites of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Tethering MOM1 with artificial zinc finger to unmethylated FWA promoter led to establishment of DNA methylation and FWA silencing. This process was blocked by mutations in components of the Pol V arm of the RdDM machinery, as well as by mutation of MORC6. We found that at some endogenous RdDM sites, MOM1 is required to maintain DNA methylation and a closed chromatin state. In addition, efficient silencing of newly introduced FWA transgenes was impaired by mutation of MOM1 or mutation of genes encoding the MOM1 interacting PIAL1/2 proteins. In addition to RdDM sites, we identified a group of MOM1 peaks at active chromatin near genes that colocalized with MORC6. These findings demonstrate a multifaceted role of MOM1 in genome regulation.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest. ER -