In collaboration with Dr. Nishiyama’s laboratory at the University of Tokyo and our team determined the three-dimensional structure of the plant maintenance DNA methyltransferase MET1 using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. We further uncovered the structural basis underlying its enzymatic regulation.
While mammalian maintenance methyltransferase DNMT1 has been extensively studied, little attention has been paid to the plant counterpart itself. Our study is the first to reveal the structural basis of DNA methylation maintenance in plants.
This work demonstrates that plants employ a distinct regulatory mechanism, fundamentally different from that of mammals, leading us to propose a new molecular model for plant DNA methylation maintenance. These findings open the way for applied research, such as engineering methyltransferases based on structural insights and developing crop improvement strategies adapted to environmental challenges.
