The conserved chromatin remodeller DECREASED IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) has long been an enigma given its powerful but likely indirect effect in maintaining plant DNA methylation. In this issue of Nature Cell Biology, Osakabe et al. show that the direct action of DDM1 is deposition of the H2A.W histone variant to silence transposable elements.
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Talbert, P.B., Henikoff, S. Remodeller–variant tag team slams transposons. Nat Cell Biol 23, 297–298 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-021-00661-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41556-021-00661-6
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