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EPIGENETICS

Remodeller–variant tag team slams transposons

Nature Cell Biology volume 23, pages 297–298 (2021)Cite this article

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The conserved chromatin remodeller DECREASED IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) has long been an enigma given its powerful but likely indirect effect in maintaining plant DNA methylation. In this issue of Nature Cell Biology, Osakabe et al. show that the direct action of DDM1 is deposition of the H2A.W histone variant to silence transposable elements.

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Fig. 1: Model of DDM1 silencing.

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  1. Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Paul B. Talbert & Steven Henikoff

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  1. Paul B. Talbert
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  2. Steven Henikoff
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Correspondence to Steven Henikoff.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Talbert, P.B., Henikoff, S. Remodeller–variant tag team slams transposons. Nat Cell Biol 23, 297–298 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-021-00661-6

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