The paper investigates the origin and evolutionary consequences of gene body DNA methylation by studying the loss of this feature in two angiosperms, finding that CMT3 is essential for its establishment.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · Jul 25, 2016Peer-reviewedPlant Biology

Widespread natural variation of DNA methylation within angiosperms

Chad E Niederhuth, Adam J Bewick, Lexiang Ji, Magdy Alabady, Kyung Do Kim, Justin T Page, Qing Li, Nicholas A Rohr, Aditi Rambani, John M Burke, Josh A Udall, Chiedozie Egesi, Jeremy Schmutz, Jane Grimwood, Scott A Jackson, , Robert J Schmitz

This study compares DNA methylation patterns across 34 angiosperm species, revealing widespread variation in methylation patterns linked to evolutionary and life history traits.

bioRxiv · May 30, 2016Plant Biology

Histone H1 limits DNA methylation in Neurospora crassa

Michael Seymour, Lexiang Ji, Alex M Santos, Masayuki Kamei, Takahiko Sasaki, Evelina Y Basenko, Robert J Schmitz, Xiaoyu Zhang, Zachary A Lewis

This study shows that Histone H1 in Neurospora crassa limits DNA methylation by affecting the accessibility of the DNA methylation machinery.

bioRxiv · Feb 25, 2016Genomics

The Nicrophorus vespilloides genome and methylome, a beetle with complex social behavior

Christopher B Cunningham, Lexiang Ji, R. Axel W Wiberg, Jennifer M Shelton, Elizabeth C McKinney, Darren J Parker, Richard B Meagher, Kyle M Benowitz, Eileen M Roy-Zokan, Michael G Ritchie, Susan J Brown, Robert J Schmitz, Allen J Moore

The paper presents the genome and methylome of Nicrophorus vespilloides, a subsocial beetle, to investigate genomic influences on social behavior and DNA methylation in non-hymenopteran insects.

bioRxiv · Jul 23, 2015Genomics