Dynamic Regulation and Biological Functions of DNA Methylation

DNA methylation (5mC) is a key epigenetic modification that plays essential roles in regulating gene expression, silencing transposable elements, and maintaining genome stability. In plants, DNA methylation is primarily established through the RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway, whereas active DNA demethylation is mediated by the ROS1/DME family via a base excision repair (BER) mechanism. This lecture will focus on the molecular mechanisms underlying active DNA demethylation in plant genomes and discuss the biological functions of DNA methylation in plants.