Copy number-dependent DNA methylation of the Pyricularia oryzae MAGGY retrotransposon is triggered by DNA damage

Abstract

Ba Van Vu, Quyet Nguyen et al. investigate the mechanism by which transposable elements are targeted for DNA methylation, using the fungus Pyricularia oryzae as a model system. They find that copy number-dependent DNA methylation and thus silencing of the MAGGY retrotransposon requires cooperative action of homologous recombination and RNA silencing machinery.