MORC and MOM1 spatially constrain RNA Polymerase V chromatin positioning to shape DNA methylation landscapes
- 1Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Ca
Abstract
Plant-specific RNA Polymerase V (Pol V) transcribes noncoding RNAs in the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway, thereby influencing gene expression and genome stability by controlling de novo DNA methylation. However, the mechanisms governing precise chromatin localization and transcriptional activities of Pol V remain elusive. Here we show that Pol V localization is spatially constrained by the chromatin regulators microrchidia (MORC) and MORPHEUS' MOLECULE 1 (MOM1). MORC and MOM1 promote Pol V occupancy at sites near active chromatin, whereas their loss leads to redistribution of Pol V into CMT3-enriched heterochromatin, accompanied by noncoding RNA transcription, small RNA production and DNA methylation. Our findings reveal a combinatorial model in which recruitment, spatial constraint and DNA methylation feedback collectively define Pol V chromatin distribution and epigenetic function.
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BibTeX
@misc{he2026morc,
title = {{MORC and MOM1 spatially constrain RNA Polymerase V chromatin positioning to shape DNA methylation landscapes}},
author = {X. He and Z. Li and Y. Xue and J. Guo and X. Liu and S. Feng and Z. Zhong and S. E. Jacobsen},
howpublished = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.64898/2026.08.30.748062},
url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.30.748062v1},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - MORC and MOM1 spatially constrain RNA Polymerase V chromatin positioning to shape DNA methylation landscapes
AU - X. He
AU - Z. Li
AU - Y. Xue
AU - J. Guo
AU - X. Liu
AU - S. Feng
AU - Z. Zhong
AU - S. E. Jacobsen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/30
PB - bioRxiv
DO - 10.64898/2026.08.30.748062
UR - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.08.30.748062v1
AB - Plant-specific RNA Polymerase V (Pol V) transcribes noncoding RNAs in the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway, thereby influencing gene expression and genome stability by controlling de novo DNA methylation. However, the mechanisms governing precise chromatin localization and transcriptional activities of Pol V remain elusive. Here we show that Pol V localization is spatially constrained by the chromatin regulators microrchidia (MORC) and MORPHEUS' MOLECULE 1 (MOM1). MORC and MOM1 promote Pol V occupancy at sites near active chromatin, whereas their loss leads to redistribution of Pol V into CMT3-enriched heterochromatin, accompanied by noncoding RNA transcription, small RNA production and DNA methylation. Our findings reveal a combinatorial model in which recruitment, spatial constraint and DNA methylation feedback collectively define Pol V chromatin distribution and epigenetic function.
ER -