Transcriptome-Wide Mapping of RNA 5-Methylcytosine in Arabidopsis mRNAs and Noncoding RNAs

Posttranscriptional methylation of RNA cytosine residues to 5-methylcytosine (m(5)C) is an important modification with diverse roles, such as regulating stress responses, stem cell proliferation, and RNA metabolism. Here, we used RNA bisulfite sequencing for transcriptome-wide quantitative mapping of m(5)C in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We discovered more than a thousand m(5)C sites in Arabidopsis mRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and other noncoding RNAs across three tissue types (siliques, seedling shoots, and roots) and validated a number of these sites. Quantitative differences in methylated sites between these three tissues suggest tissue-specific regulation of m(5)C. Perturbing the RNA m(5)C methyltransferase TRM4B resulted in the loss of m(5)C sites on mRNAs and noncoding RNAs and reduced the stability of tRNA(Asp(GTC)). We also demonstrate the importance of m(5)C in plant development, as trm4b mutants have shorter primary roots than the wild type due to reduced cell division in the root apical meristem. In addition, trm4b mutants show increased sensitivity to oxidative stress. Finally, we provide insights into the targeting mechanism of TRM4B by demonstrating that a 50-nucleotide sequence flanking m(5)C C3349 in MAIGO5 mRNA is sufficient to confer methylation of a transgene reporter in Nicotiana benthamiana.