DNA methylation in plants.

Both replicative and postreplicative nuclear DNA (nDNA) methylation, with the formation of 5-methylcytosine (mC) residues, occurs in plants. These two types of enzymatic DNA modification are different in amount and nucleotide sequence of methylatable sites, as well as in sensitivity to phytohormones, temperature and various inhibitors of DNA methylation, transcription and replication. The role of DNA methylation in regulation of replication, gene expression and cell differentiation is discussed.