DDM2 — Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

AT5G49160 (DDM2/MET1) on Arabidopsis thaliana chromosome 5 encodes a DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase with methyltransferase activity, belonging to the DNMT1-like family and containing BAH and C5-methyltransferase domains. It is associated with DNA modification, telomere organization, retrotransposon silencing by RdDM, DNA imprinting, and regulation of seed development. Observed phenotypes link MET1 to seed viability, photosystem II supercomplex formation, virus resistance, and histone H3 methylation. The gene is associated with numerous traits including seed volume, size, and maturation, plant female sterility, hybrid incompatibility, heterosis, leaf variegation, chloroplast development, germination rate, jasmonic acid content, and responses to ionizing radiation and high temperature stress. It localizes to chromatin silencing complexes, thylakoid membranes, and polar nuclei. Studies of related genes in other species link the family to fruit ripening, seed vivipary, and plant development.