RdDM-independent de novo and heterochromatin DNA methylation by plant CMT and DNMT3 orthologs

Abstract

Whether plants have true DNMT3 orthologs and their role in establishing DNA methylation are still unclear. Here, the authors show that DNMT3s are persistent through plant evolution and mediates both de novo and heterochromatin DNA methylation in the early divergent land plant Physcomitrella patens.