Function of CHG methylation dynamics in rice male gametogenesis

In this work, we analyzed DNA methylation in rice male meiocyte, microspore and sperm and studied the function of a set of chromatin regulators during the process. The results indicate that that DNA methylation remodeling started after meiosis of the male meiocytes and that non-CG, particularly CHG, methylation is dynamically remodeling during rice male gametogenesis. The work reveals distinct function of DNA methyltransfesaes and histone demethylase in the remodeling of CHG methylation and suggests that the CHG methylation remodeling has functional significance for male gametogenesis and fertilization. Germ cells were obtained by micromanipulation. DNA methylation and transcriptome libraries were constructed by scBS-seq and scRNA-seq techniques. In addition, a seedling DNA methylation library was constructed by directly extracting whole genome DNA.