DCL3 (an abbreviation of Dicer-like 3) is a

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

in plants that codes for the DCL3

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

, a

ribonuclease III Ribonuclease III (RNase III or RNase C)(BREND3.1.26.3 is a type of ribonuclease that recognizes dsRNA and cleaves it at specific targeted locations to transform them into mature RNAs. These enzymes are a group of endoribonucleases that are char ...

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

involved in plants specific pathway

RNA-directed DNA methylation RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is a biological process in which non-coding RNA molecules direct the addition of DNA methylation to specific DNA sequences. The RdDM pathway is unique to plants, although other mechanisms of RNA-directed chromat ...

. Where DCL3 cleaves endogenous double-stranded RNAs into 24 nucleotide

small interfering RNA Small interfering RNA (siRNA), sometimes known as short interfering RNA or silencing RNA, is a class of double-stranded RNA at first non-coding RNA molecules, typically 20-24 (normally 21) base pairs in length, similar to MicroRNA, miRNA, and op ...

s. The main difference to other DCLs is the

dsRNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydra ...

source, which precursor for DCL3 is generally transcribed in heterochromatic regions by the RNA polymerase complex, RNA polymerase IV, producing

single-stranded RNA Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a polymeric molecule essential in various biological roles in coding, decoding, regulation and expression of genes. RNA and deoxyribonucleic acid ( DNA) are nucleic acids. Along with lipids, proteins, and carbohydr ...

roughly of 30 to 45 nucleotides in length, which are converted into dsRNA by RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 2. Once cleaved by DCL3, the 24-nt siRNA strand is loaded into AGO4, which interacts with

Pol V DNA Polymerase V (Pol V) is a polymerase enzyme involved in DNA repair mechanisms in bacteria, such as ''Escherichia coli''. It is composed of a UmuD' homodimer and a UmuC monomer, forming the UmuD'2C protein complex. It is part of the Y-family o ...

–transcribed long noncoding RNAs and recruits domains-rearranged methylase 2, facilitating

DNA methylation DNA methylation is a biological process by which methyl groups are added to the DNA molecule. Methylation can change the activity of a DNA segment without changing the sequence. When located in a gene promoter, DNA methylation typically acts t ...

References

{{reflist Ribonucleases Plant genes