Comparative Analysis Of DNA Methylomes In Plants, Animals, Fungi and Algae

DNA methylation is a highly conserved modification that is found throughout the tree of life.  We have surveyed plants, animals and fungi to understand how the use of this epigenetic modification differs across organisms.  Here we will review our initial findings and present the methylome of a fungus (truffle) and algae (chlamydomonas reinhardtii).  We will show that in truffle, methylation is nearly exclusively associated with repetitive elements, and discuss possible connections to Repeat Induced Point Mutations (RIP) and Methylation Induced Premitoically (MIP).  In the case of Chlamydomonas, we will discuss how methylation is exclusively found in the chloroplast and how it may play a role in the determination of chloroplast inheritance between the diploid zygote and haploid progeny.