Strategies for silencing and escape: the ancient struggle between transposable elements and their hosts

Comparative analysis of epigenetic variability in two pine species exposed to chronic radiation in the chernobyl and fukushima affected zones

Comparative analysis of epigenetic variability in two pine species affected as a result of the Chernobyl and Fukushima accidents is presented. The absorbed dose rate within the affected Chernobyl sites varies over a wider range (1.5-24.6 μGy/h) than within the Fukushima sites (3.5-6.5 μGy/h). It was shown that chronic irradiation can change the level of whole genome methylation in pine populations, but in different ways. The genomes of Japanese red pines are hypomethylated, and the degree of methylation and hydroxymethylation decreases with an increase in the level of radiation exposure. In contrast, the percentages of genome methylation and hydroxymethylation in Scots pine populations exceed the reference levels. The observed discrepancy in the patterns of genome-wide DNA methylation can be attributed partly to the design of the study (differences in the climate, radiation dose, age and species of the pines) which could affect the results. In the frame of IRAP analysis, a larger number of different bands was observed in the Chernobyl populations compared to the Japanese populations. Both the Japanese and Chernobyl populations are characterized by significant genetic variability. However, the main part of this variability is observed within populations. The dendrograms, based on presence/absence of IRAP fragments and Nei's genetic distances, revealed subdivisions of the Chernobyl and Japanese populations according to the level of radioactive contamination. Analysis of the results presented will improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the responses of pine trees to chronic radiation exposure.

The Epigenetic Control of the Transposable Element Life Cycle in Plant Genomes and Beyond

Within the life cycle of a living organism, another life cycle exists for the selfish genome inhabitants, which are called transposable elements (TEs). These mobile sequences invade, duplicate, amplify, and diversify within a genome, increasing the genome's size and generating new mutations. Cells act to defend their genome, but rather than permanently destroying TEs, they use chromatin-level repression and epigenetic inheritance to silence TE activity. This level of silencing is ephemeral and reversible, leading to a dynamic equilibrium between TE suppression and reactivation within a host genome. The coexistence of the TE and host genome can also lead to the domestication of the TE to serve in host genome evolution and function. In this review, we describe the life cycle of a TE, with emphasis on how epigenetic regulation is harnessed to control TEs for host genome stability and innovation.

Epigenetic targeting of transposon relics: beating the dead horses of the genome?

Transposable elements (TEs) have been seen as selfish genetic elements that can propagate in a host genome. Their propagation success is however hindered by a combination of mechanisms such as mutations, selection, and their epigenetic silencing by the host genome. As a result, most copies of TEs in a given genome are dead relics: their sequence is too degenerated to allow any transposition. Nevertheless, these TE relics often, but not always, remain epigenetically silenced, and if not to prevent transposition anymore, one can wonder the reason for this phenomenon. The mere self-perpetuating loop inherent to epigenetic silencing could alone explain that even when inactive, TE copies remain silenced. Beyond this process, nevertheless, antagonistic selective forces are likely to act on TE relic silencing. Especially, without the benefit of preventing transposition, TE relic silencing may prove deleterious to the host fitness, suggesting that the maintenance of TE relic silencing is the result of a fine, and perhaps case-by-case, evolutionary trade-off between beneficial and deleterious effects. Ultimately, the release of TE relics silencing may provide a 'safe' ground for adaptive epimutations to arise. In this review, we provide an overview of these questions in both plants and animals.

The amino acid permease (AAP) genes CsAAP2A and SlAAP5A/B are required for oomycete susceptibility in cucumber and tomato

Cucurbit downy mildew (DM), caused by the obligate biotroph Pseudoperonospora cubensis, is a destructive disease in cucumber. A valuable source of DM resistance is the Indian cucumber accession PI 197088, which harbours several quantitative trait loci (QTLs) contributing to quantitatively inherited DM resistance. With a combination of fine-mapping and transcriptomics, we identified Amino Acid Permease 2A (CsAAP2A) as a candidate gene for QTL DM4.1.3. Whole-genome and Sanger sequencing revealed the insertion of a Cucumis Mu-like element (CUMULE) transposon in the allele of the resistant near-isogenic line DM4.1.3. To confirm whether loss of CsAAP2A contributes to partial DM resistance, we performed targeting induced local lesions in genomes on a DM-susceptible cucumber genotype to identify an additional csaap2a mutant, which indeed was partially DM resistant. In view of the loss of the putative function as amino acid transporter, we measured amino acids in leaves. We found that DM-inoculated leaves of line DM4.1.3 (with the csaap2a mutation) contained significantly fewer amino acids than wild-type cucumber. The decreased flow of amino acids towards infected leaves in csaap2a plants compared to the wild type might explain the resistant phenotype of the mutant, as this would limit the available nutrients for the pathogen and thereby its fitness. To examine whether AAP genes play a conserved role as susceptibility factors in plant-oomycete interactions, we made targeted mutations in two AAP genes from tomato and studied the effect on susceptibility to Phytophthora infestans. We conclude that not only CsAAP2A but also SlAAP5A/SlAAP5B are susceptibility genes for oomycete pathogens.

Which factors contribute most to genome size variation within angiosperms?

Genome size varies greatly across the flowering plants and has played an important role in shaping their evolution. It has been reported that many factors correlate with the variation in genome size, but few studies have systematically explored this at the genomic level. Here, we scan genomic information for 74 species from 74 families in 38 orders covering the major groups of angiosperms (the taxonomic information was acquired from the latest Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG IV) system) to evaluate the correlation between genome size variation and different genome characteristics: polyploidization, different types of repeat sequence content, and the dynamics of long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTRs). Surprisingly, we found that polyploidization shows no significant correlation with genome size, while LTR content demonstrates a significantly positive correlation. This may be due to genome instability after polyploidization, and since LTRs occupy most of the genome content, it may directly result in most of the genome variation. We found that the LTR insertion time is significantly negatively correlated with genome size, which may reflect the competition between insertion and deletion of LTRs in each genome, and that the old insertions are usually easy to recognize and eliminate. We also noticed that most of the LTR burst occurred within the last 3 million years, a timeframe consistent with the violent climate fluctuations in the Pleistocene. Our findings enhance our understanding of genome size evolution within angiosperms, and our methods offer immediate implications for corresponding research in other datasets.

GingerRoot: A Novel DNA Transposon Encoding Integrase-Related Transposase in Plants and Animals

Transposable elements represent the largest components of many eukaryotic genomes and different genomes harbor different combinations of elements. Here, we discovered a novel DNA transposon in the genome of the clubmoss Selaginella lepidophylla. Further searching for related sequences to the conserved DDE region uncovered the presence of this superfamily of elements in fish, coral, sea anemone, and other animal species. However, this element appears restricted to Bryophytes and Lycophytes in plants. This transposon, named GingerRoot, is associated with a 6 bp (base pair) target site duplication, and 100-150 bp terminal inverted repeats. Analysis of transposase sequences identified the DDE motif, a catalytic domain, which shows similarity to the integrase of Gypsy-like long terminal repeat retrotransposons, the most abundant component in plant genomes. A total of 77 intact and several hundred truncated copies of GingerRoot elements were identified in S. lepidophylla. Like Gypsy retrotransposons, GingerRoots show a lack of insertion preference near genes, which contrasts to the compact genome size of about 100 Mb. Nevertheless, a considerable portion of GingerRoot elements was found to carry gene fragments, suggesting the capacity of duplicating gene sequences is unlikely attributed to the proximity to genes. Elements carrying gene fragments appear to be less methylated, more diverged, and more distal to genes than those without gene fragments, indicating they are preferentially retained in gene-poor regions. This study has identified a broadly dispersed, novel DNA transposon, and the first plant DNA transposon with an integrase-related transposase, suggesting the possibility of de novo formation of Gypsy-like elements in plants.

Origin of biomolecular games: deception and molecular evolution

Biological macromolecules encode information: some of it to endow the molecule with structural flexibility, some of it to enable molecular actions as a catalyst or a substrate, but a residual part can be used to communicate with other macromolecules. Thus, macromolecules do not need to possess information only to survive in an environment, but also to strategically interact with others by sending signals to a receiving macromolecule that can properly interpret the signal and act suitably. These sender-receiver signalling games are sustained by the information asymmetry that exists among the macromolecules. In both biochemistry and molecular evolution, the important role of information asymmetry remains largely unaddressed. Here, we provide a new unifying perspective on the impact of information symmetry between macromolecules on molecular evolutionary processes, while focusing on molecular deception. Biomolecular games arise from the ability of biological macromolecules to exert precise recognition, and their role as units of selection, meaning that they are subject to competition and cooperation with other macromolecules. Thus, signalling game theory can be used to better understand fundamental features of living systems such as molecular recognition, molecular mimicry, selfish elements and 'junk' DNA. We show how deceptive behaviour at the molecular level indicates a conflict of interest, and so provides evidence of genetic conflict. This model proposes that molecular deception is diagnostic of selfish behaviour, helping to explain the evasive behaviour of transposable elements in 'junk' DNA, for example. Additionally, in this broad review, a range of major evolutionary transitions are shown to be associated with the establishment of signalling conventions, many of which are susceptible to molecular deception. These perspectives allow us to assign rudimentary behaviour to macromolecules, and show how participation in signalling games differentiates biochemistry from abiotic chemistry.

Many Facets of Dynamic Plasticity in Plants

The evolutionary processes that transitioned plants to land-based habitats also incorporated a multiplicity of strategies to enhance resilience to the greater environmental variation encountered on land. The sensing of light, its quality, quantity, and duration, is central to plant survival and, as such, serves as a central network hub. Similarly, plants as sessile organisms that can encounter isolation must continually assess their reproductive options, requiring plasticity in propagation by self- and cross-pollination or asexual strategies. Irregular fluctuations and intermittent extremes in temperature, soil fertility, and moisture conditions have given impetus to genetic specializations for network resiliency, protein neofunctionalization, and internal mechanisms to accelerate their evolution. We review some of the current advancements made in understanding plant resiliency and phenotypic plasticity mechanisms. These mechanisms incorporate unusual nuclear-cytoplasmic interactions, various transposable element (TE) activities, and epigenetic plasticity of central gene networks that are broadly pleiotropic to influence resiliency phenotypes.

Engineering modular diterpene biosynthetic pathways in Physcomitrella patens

Modular assembly and heterologous expression in the moss Physcomitrella patens of pairs of diterpene synthases results in accumulation of modern land plant diterpenoids. Physcomitrella patens is a representative of the ancient bryophyte plant lineage with a genome size of 511 Mb, dominant haploid life cycle and limited chemical and metabolic complexity. For these plants, exceptional capacity for genome editing through homologous recombination is met with recently demonstrated in vivo assembly of multiple heterologous DNA fragments. These traits earlier made P. patens an attractive choice as a biotechnological chassis for photosynthesis-driven production of recombinant peptides. The lack of diterpene gibberellic acid phytohormones in P. patens combined with the recent targeted disruption of the single bifunctional diterpene synthase yielded lines devoid of endogenous diterpenoid metabolites and well-suited for engineering of terpenoid production. Here, we mimicked the modular nature of diterpene biosynthetic pathways found in modern land plants by developing a flexible pipeline to install three combinations of class II and class I diterpene synthases in P. patens to access industrially relevant diterpene biomaterials. In addition to a well-established neutral locus for targeted integration, we also explored loci created by a class of Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposon present at moderate number in the genome of P. patens. Assembly of the pathways and production of the enzymes from the neutral locus led to accumulation of diterpenes matching the reported activities in the angiosperm sources. In contrast, insights gained with the retrotransposon loci indicate their suitability for targeting, but reveal potentially inherent complications which may require adaptation of the experimental design.

Transcription of soybean retrotransposon SORE-1 is temporally upregulated in developing ovules

MAIN CONCLUSION

Transcription of soybean retrotransposon SORE-1 was temporally upregulated during ovule development. This transcriptional pattern was under intrinsic control conferred by the long terminal repeat of SORE-1. Transcriptionally active retrotransposons are capable of inducing random disruption of genes, providing a powerful tool for mutagenesis. Activation of retrotransposons in reproductive cells, in particular, can lead to heritable changes. Here, we examined developmental control of transcription of soybean retrotransposon SORE-1. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contain β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene fused with the SORE-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) had GUS staining in the ovule. Quantitative analysis of transcripts in plants with this DNA construct and those with the full-length SORE-1 element indicated a temporal upregulation of SORE-1 transcription during ovule development. A comparable phenomenon was also observed in soybean plants that had a recent insertion of this element in the GmphyA2 gene. These results provide evidence that the temporal upregulation of SORE-1 in the reproductive organ is sufficiently controlled by its LTR and indicate that the intrinsic expression pattern of SORE-1 is consistent with its mutagenic property.

Modeling Interactions between Transposable Elements and the Plant Epigenetic Response: A Surprising Reliance on Element Retention

Transposable elements (TEs) compose the majority of angiosperm DNA. Plants counteract TE activity by silencing them epigenetically. One form of epigenetic silencing requires 21-22 nt small interfering RNAs that act to degrade TE mRNA and may also trigger DNA methylation. DNA methylation is reinforced by a second mechanism, the RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway. RdDM relies on 24 nt small interfering RNAs and ultimately establishes TEs in a quiescent state. These host factors interact at a systems level, but there have been no system level analyses of their interactions. Here, we define a deterministic model that represents the propagation of active TEs, aspects of the host response and the accumulation of silenced TEs. We describe general properties of the model and also fit it to biological data in order to explore two questions. The first is why two overlapping pathways are maintained, given that both are likely energetically expensive. Under our model, RdDM silenced TEs effectively even when the initiation of silencing was weak. This relationship implies that only a small amount of RNAi is needed to initiate TE silencing, but reinforcement by RdDM is necessary to efficiently counter TE propagation. Second, we investigated the reliance of the host response on rates of TE deletion. The model predicted that low levels of deletion lead to few active TEs, suggesting that silencing is most efficient when methylated TEs are retained in the genome, thereby providing one explanation for the large size of plant genomes.

Shaping Plant Adaptability, Genome Structure and Gene Expression through Transposable Element Epigenetic Control: Focus on Methylation

In plants, transposable elements (TEs) represent a large fraction of the genome, with potential to alter gene expression and produce genomic rearrangements. Epigenetic control of TEs is often used to stop unrestricted movement of TEs that would result in detrimental effects due to insertion in essential genes. The current review focuses on the effects of methylation on TEs and their genomic context, and how this type of epigenetic control affects plant adaptability when plants are faced with different stresses and changes. TEs mobilize in response to stress elicitors, including biotic and abiotic cues, but also developmental transitions and ‘genome shock’ events like polyploidization. These events transitionally lift TE repression, allowing TEs to move to new genomic locations. When TEs fall close to genes, silencing through methylation can spread to nearby genes, resulting in lower gene expression. The presence of TEs in gene promoter regions can also confer stress inducibility modulated through alternative methylation and demethylation of the TE. Bursts of transposition triggered by events of genomic shock can increase genome size and account for differences seen during polyploidization or species divergence. Finally, TEs have evolved several mechanisms to suppress their own repression, including the use of microRNAs to control genes that promote methylation. The interplay between silencing, transient TE activation, and purifying selection allows the genome to use TEs as a reservoir of potential beneficial modifications but also keeps TEs under control to stop uncontrolled detrimental transposition.

Contribution of transposable elements in the plant's genome

Plants maintain extensive growth flexibility under different environmental conditions, allowing them to continuously and rapidly adapt to alterations in their environment. A large portion of many plant genomes consists of transposable elements (TEs) that create new genetic variations within plant species. Different types of mutations may be created by TEs in plants. Many TEs can avoid the host's defense mechanisms and survive alterations in transposition activity, internal sequence and target site. Thus, plant genomes are expected to utilize a variety of mechanisms to tolerate TEs that are near or within genes. TEs affect the expression of not only nearby genes but also unlinked inserted genes. TEs can create new promoters, leading to novel expression patterns or alternative coding regions to generate alternate transcripts in plant species. TEs can also provide novel cis-acting regulatory elements that act as enhancers or inserts within original enhancers that are required for transcription. Thus, the regulation of plant gene expression is strongly managed by the insertion of TEs into nearby genes. TEs can also lead to chromatin modifications and thereby affect gene expression in plants. TEs are able to generate new genes and modify existing gene structures by duplicating, mobilizing and recombining gene fragments. They can also facilitate cellular functions by sharing their transposase-coding regions. Hence, TE insertions can not only act as simple mutagens but can also alter the elementary functions of the plant genome. Here, we review recent discoveries concerning the contribution of TEs to gene expression in plant genomes and discuss the different mechanisms by which TEs can affect plant gene expression and reduce host defense mechanisms.

Tracking the genome-wide outcomes of a transposable element burst over decades of amplification

Rice (Oryza sativa) has a unique combination of attributes that made it an ideal host to track the natural behavior of very active transposable elements (TEs) over generations. In this study, we have exploited its small genome and propagation by self or sibling pollination to identify and characterize two strain pairs, EG4/HEG4 and A119/A123, undergoing bursts of the nonautonomous miniature inverted repeat transposable element mPing. Comparative sequence analyses of these strains have advanced our understanding of (i) factors that contribute to sustaining a TE burst for decades, (ii) features that distinguish a natural TE burst from bursts in cell culture or mutant backgrounds, and (iii) the extent to which TEs can rapidly diversify the genome of an inbred organism.

To understand the success strategies of transposable elements (TEs) that attain high copy numbers, we analyzed two pairs of rice (Oryza sativa) strains, EG4/HEG4 and A119/A123, undergoing decades of rapid amplification (bursts) of the class 2 autonomous Ping element and the nonautonomous miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE) mPing. Comparative analyses of whole-genome sequences of the two strain pairs validated that each pair has been maintained for decades as inbreds since divergence from their respective last common ancestor. Strains EG4 and HEG4 differ by fewer than 160 SNPs and a total of 264 new mPing insertions. Similarly, strains A119 and A123 exhibited about half as many SNPs (277) as new mPing insertions (518). Examination of all other potentially active TEs in these genomes revealed only a single new insertion out of ∼40,000 loci surveyed. The virtual absence of any new TE insertions in these strains outside the mPing bursts demonstrates that the Ping/mPing family gradually attains high copy numbers by maintaining activity and evading host detection for dozens of generations. Evasion is possible because host recognition of mPing sequences appears to have no impact on initiation or maintenance of the burst. Ping is actively transcribed, and both Ping and mPing can transpose despite methylation of terminal sequences. This finding suggests that an important feature of MITE success is that host recognition does not lead to the silencing of the source of transposase.

Sequencing the extrachromosomal circular mobilome reveals retrotransposon activity in plants

Retrotransposons are mobile genetic elements abundant in plant and animal genomes. While efficiently silenced by the epigenetic machinery, they can be reactivated upon stress or during development. Their level of transcription not reflecting their transposition ability, it is thus difficult to evaluate their contribution to the active mobilome. Here we applied a simple methodology based on the high throughput sequencing of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) forms of active retrotransposons to characterize the repertoire of mobile retrotransposons in plants. This method successfully identified known active retrotransposons in both Arabidopsis and rice material where the epigenome is destabilized. When applying mobilome-seq to developmental stages in wild type rice, we identified PopRice as a highly active retrotransposon producing eccDNA forms in the wild type endosperm. The mobilome-seq strategy opens new routes for the characterization of a yet unexplored fraction of plant genomes.

What makes up plant genomes: The vanishing line between transposable elements and genes

The ultimate source of evolution is mutation. As the largest component in plant genomes, transposable elements (TEs) create numerous types of mutations that cannot be mimicked by other genetic mechanisms. When TEs insert into genomic sequences, they influence the expression of nearby genes as well as genes unlinked to the insertion. TEs can duplicate, mobilize, and recombine normal genes or gene fragments, with the potential to generate new genes or modify the structure of existing genes. TEs also donate their transposase coding regions for cellular functions in a process called TE domestication. Despite the host defense against TE activity, a subset of TEs survived and thrived through discreet selection of transposition activity, target site, element size, and the internal sequence. Finally, TEs have established strategies to reduce the efficacy of host defense system by increasing the cost of silencing TEs. This review discusses the recent progress in the area of plant TEs with a focus on the interaction between TEs and genes.

Kicking against the PRCs - A Domesticated Transposase Antagonises Silencing Mediated by Polycomb Group Proteins and Is an Accessory Component of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2

The Polycomb group (PcG) and trithorax group (trxG) genes play crucial roles in development by regulating expression of homeotic and other genes controlling cell fate. Both groups catalyse modifications of chromatin, particularly histone methylation, leading to epigenetic changes that affect gene activity. The trxG antagonizes the function of PcG genes by activating PcG target genes, and consequently trxG mutants suppress PcG mutant phenotypes. We previously identified the ANTAGONIST OF LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (ALP1) gene as a genetic suppressor of mutants in the Arabidopsis PcG gene LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 (LHP1). Here, we show that ALP1 interacts genetically with several other PcG and trxG components and that it antagonizes PcG silencing. Transcriptional profiling reveals that when PcG activity is compromised numerous target genes are hyper-activated in seedlings and that in most cases this requires ALP1. Furthermore, when PcG activity is present ALP1 is needed for full activation of several floral homeotic genes that are repressed by the PcG. Strikingly, ALP1 does not encode a known chromatin protein but rather a protein related to PIF/Harbinger class transposases. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that ALP1 is broadly conserved in land plants and likely lost transposase activity and acquired a novel function during angiosperm evolution. Consistent with this, immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry (IP-MS) show that ALP1 associates, in vivo, with core components of POLYCOMB REPRESSIVE COMPLEX 2 (PRC2), a widely conserved PcG protein complex which functions as a H3K27me3 histone methyltransferase. Furthermore, in reciprocal pulldowns using the histone methyltransferase CURLY LEAF (CLF), we identify not only ALP1 and the core PRC2 components but also plant-specific accessory components including EMBRYONIC FLOWER 1 (EMF1), a transcriptional repressor previously associated with PRC1-like complexes. Taken together our data suggest that ALP1 inhibits PcG silencing by blocking the interaction of the core PRC2 with accessory components that promote its HMTase activity or its role in inhibiting transcription. ALP1 is the first example of a domesticated transposase acquiring a novel function as a PcG component. The antagonistic interaction of a modified transposase with the PcG machinery is novel and may have arisen as a means for the cognate transposon to evade host surveillance or for the host to exploit features of the transposition machinery beneficial for epigenetic regulation of gene activity.

Transposons are parasitic genetic elements that proliferate within their hosts’ genomes. Because rampant transposition is usually deleterious, hosts have evolved ways to inhibit the activity of transposons. In plants, this genome defence is provided by the Polycomb group (PcG) proteins and/or the DNA methylation machinery, which repress the transcription of transposase genes. We identified the Arabidopsis ALP1 gene through its role in opposing gene silencing mediated by PcG genes. ALP1 is an ancient gene in land plants and has evolved from a domesticated transposase. Unexpectedly, we find that the ALP1 protein is present in a conserved complex of PcG proteins that inhibit transcription by methylating the histone proteins that package DNA. ALP1 likely inhibits the activity of this PcG complex by blocking its interaction with accessory proteins that stimulate its activity. We suggest that the inhibition of the PcG by a transposase may originally have evolved as a means for transposons to evade surveillance by their hosts, and that subsequently hosts may have exploited this as a means to regulate PcG activity. Our work illustrates how transposons can be friend or fiend, and raises the question of whether other transposases will also be found to inhibit their host’s regulatory machinery.

A role for palindromic structures in the cis-region of maize Sirevirus LTRs in transposable element evolution and host epigenetic response

Transposable elements (TEs) proliferate within the genome of their host, which responds by silencing them epigenetically. Much is known about the mechanisms of silencing in plants, particularly the role of siRNAs in guiding DNA methylation. In contrast, little is known about siRNA targeting patterns along the length of TEs, yet this information may provide crucial insights into the dynamics between hosts and TEs. By focusing on 6456 carefully annotated, full-length Sirevirus LTR retrotransposons in maize, we show that their silencing associates with underlying characteristics of the TE sequence and also uncover three features of the host–TE interaction. First, siRNA mapping varies among families and among elements, but particularly along the length of elements. Within the cis-regulatory portion of the LTRs, a complex palindrome-rich region acts as a hotspot of both siRNA matching and sequence evolution. These patterns are consistent across leaf, tassel, and immature ear libraries, but particularly emphasized for floral tissues and 21- to 22-nt siRNAs. Second, this region has the ability to form hairpins, making it a potential template for the production of miRNA-like, hairpin-derived small RNAs. Third, Sireviruses are targeted by siRNAs as a decreasing function of their age, but the oldest elements remain highly targeted, partially by siRNAs that cross-map to the youngest elements. We show that the targeting of older Sireviruses reflects their conserved palindromes. Altogether, we hypothesize that the palindromes aid the silencing of active elements and influence transposition potential, siRNA targeting levels, and ultimately the fate of an element within the genome.

Silencing of active transposable elements in plants

In plant genomes the vast majority of transposable elements (TEs) are found in a transcriptionally silenced state that is epigenetically propagated from generation to generation. Although the mechanism of this maintenance of silencing has been well studied, it is now clear that the pathways responsible for maintaining TEs in a silenced state differ from the pathways responsible for initially targeting the TE for silencing. Recently, attention in this field has focused on investigating the molecular mechanisms that initiate and establish TE silencing. Here we review the current models of how TEs are triggered for silencing, the data supporting each model, and the key future questions in this fast moving field.

The Ty1-copia LTR retroelement family PARTC is highly conserved in conifers over 200 MY of evolution

Long Terminal Repeat retroelements (LTR-RTs) are a major component of many plant genomes. Although well studied and described in angiosperms, their features and dynamics are poorly understood in gymnosperms. Representative complete copies of a Ty1-copia element isolate in Picea abies and named PARTC were identified in six other conifer species (Picea glauca, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus taeda, Abies sibirica, Taxus baccata and Juniperus communis) covering more than 200 million years of evolution. Here we characterized the structure of this element, assessed its abundance across conifers, studied the modes and timing of its amplification, and evaluated the degree of conservation of its extant copies at nucleotide level over distant species. We demonstrated that the element is ancient, abundant, widespread and its paralogous copies are present in the genera Picea, Pinus and Abies as an LTR-RT family. The amplification leading to the extant copies of PARTC occurred over long evolutionary times spanning 10s of MY and mostly took place after the speciation of the conifers analyzed. The level of conservation of PARTC is striking and may be explained by low substitution rates and limited removal mechanisms for LTR-RTs. These PARTC features and dynamics are representative of a more general scenario for LTR-RTs in gymnosperms quite different from that characterizing the vast majority of LTR-RT elements in angiosperms.

AFLP and MS-AFLP analysis of the variation within saffron crocus (Crocus sativus L.) germplasm

The presence and extent of genetic variation in saffron crocus are still debated, as testified by several contradictory articles providing contrasting results about the monomorphism or less of the species. Remarkably, phenotypic variations have been frequently observed in the field, such variations are usually unstable and can change from one growing season to another. Considering that gene expression can be influenced both by genetic and epigenetic changes, epigenetics could be a plausible cause of the alternative phenotypes. In order to obtain new insights into this issue, we carried out a molecular marker analysis of 112 accessions from the World Saffron and Crocus Collection. The accessions were grown for at least three years in the same open field conditions. The same samples were analysed using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) and Methyl Sensitive AFLP in order to search for variation at the genetic (DNA sequence) and epigenetic (cytosine methylation) level. While the genetic variability was low (4.23% polymorphic peaks and twelve (12) effective different genotypes), the methyl sensitive analysis showed the presence of high epigenetic variability (33.57% polymorphic peaks and twenty eight (28) different effective epigenotypes). The pattern obtained by Factorial Correspondence Analysis of AFLP and, in particular, of MS-AFLP data was consistent with the geographical provenance of the accessions. Very interestingly, by focusing on Spanish accessions, it was observed that the distribution of the accessions in the Factorial Correspondence Analysis is not random but tends to reflect the geographical origin. Two clearly defined clusters grouping accessions from the West (Toledo and Ciudad Real) and accessions from the East (Cuenca and Teruel) were clearly recognised.

Controlled activation of retrotransposition for plant breeding

Plant genomes consist to a large extent of transposable elements (TEs), predominantly retrotransposons. Their accumulation through periodic transposition bursts has shaped the structure and regulatory organization of plant genomes, often contributing to phenotypic traits. Transposon-generated phenotypes selected by humans during plant domestication have been maintained under strict selection during subsequent plant breeding. Our knowledge of the epigenetic, environmental, and developmental regulation of TE activity has advanced considerably in recent years. Here I will consider TEs as an attractive endogenous source of genetic variation that can be liberated in a controlled fashion and thus offer novel phenotypic diversity to be selected for crop improvement.

How a retrotransposon exploits the plant's heat stress response for its activation

Retrotransposons are major components of plant and animal genomes. They amplify by reverse transcription and reintegration into the host genome but their activity is usually epigenetically silenced. In plants, genomic copies of retrotransposons are typically associated with repressive chromatin modifications installed and maintained by RNA-directed DNA methylation. To escape this tight control, retrotransposons employ various strategies to avoid epigenetic silencing. Here we describe the mechanism developed by ONSEN, an LTR-copia type retrotransposon in Arabidopsis thaliana. ONSEN has acquired a heat-responsive element recognized by plant-derived heat stress defense factors, resulting in transcription and production of full length extrachromosomal DNA under elevated temperatures. Further, the ONSEN promoter is free of CG and CHG sites, and the reduction of DNA methylation at the CHH sites is not sufficient to activate the element. Since dividing cells have a more pronounced heat response, the extrachromosomal ONSEN DNA, capable of reintegrating into the genome, accumulates preferentially in the meristematic tissue of the shoot. The recruitment of a major plant heat shock transcription factor in periods of heat stress exploits the plant's heat stress response to achieve the transposon's activation, making it impossible for the host to respond appropriately to stress without losing control over the invader.

Transposons are programmed to amplify within their host genomes. In defense, hosts have evolved mechanisms to impede transposon activation, often by epigenetic transcriptional silencing. A constant and likely unending arms race between host and invader has brought about different strategies to mutually counteract the tricks of the other. Several such strategies are combined in one transposon in the Arabidopsis genome. Its promoter is devoid of symmetric sites necessary for stable maintenance of repressive DNA methylation, and a reduction of methylation at the remaining cytosines does not activate the element. More sophisticated still: its promoter shares a sequence motif with heat stress-responsive plant genes and is recognized by a heat-induced plant transcription factor. Whenever the plants must activate their heat stress defense under high temperatures, the transposon is able to generate new extrachromosomal DNA copies that can potentially integrate into new sites of the genome. In addition, the heat response is especially strong in tissue with dividing cells, which form consequently the largest amount of extrachromosomal transposon copies. We see this as an example of a “wolf in sheep's clothing” strategy, whereby the transposon becomes visible as such only under specific stress conditions of its host.

Comparative genomic paleontology across plant kingdom reveals the dynamics of TE-driven genome evolution

Long terminal repeat-retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are the most abundant class of transposable elements (TEs) in plants. They strongly impact the structure, function, and evolution of their host genome, and, in particular, their role in genome size variation has been clearly established. However, the dynamics of the process through which LTR-RTs have differentially shaped plant genomes is still poorly understood because of a lack of comparative studies. Using a new robust and automated family classification procedure, we exhaustively characterized the LTR-RTs in eight plant genomes for which a high-quality sequence is available (i.e., Arabidopsis thaliana, A. lyrata, grapevine, soybean, rice, Brachypodium dystachion, sorghum, and maize). This allowed us to perform a comparative genome-wide study of the retrotranspositional landscape in these eight plant lineages from both monocots and dicots. We show that retrotransposition has recurrently occurred in all plant genomes investigated, regardless their size, and through bursts, rather than a continuous process. Moreover, in each genome, only one or few LTR-RT families have been active in the recent past, and the difference in genome size among the species studied could thus mostly be accounted for by the extent of the latest transpositional burst(s). Following these bursts, LTR-RTs are efficiently eliminated from their host genomes through recombination and deletion, but we show that the removal rate is not lineage specific. These new findings lead us to propose a new model of TE-driven genome evolution in plants.

Parent-of-origin control of transgenerational retrotransposon proliferation in Arabidopsis

Retrotransposons are ubiquitous mobile genetic elements constituting a major part of eukaryotic genomes. Yet, monitoring retrotransposition and subsequent copy number increases in multicellular eukaryotes is intrinsically difficult. By following the transgenerational accumulation of a newly activated retrotransposon EVADE (EVD) in Arabidopsis, we noticed fast expansion of activated elements transmitted through the paternal germ line but suppression when EVD-active copies are maternally inherited. This parent-of-origin effect on EVD proliferation was still observed when gametophytes carried mutations for key epigenetic regulators previously shown to restrict EVD mobility. Therefore, the main mechanism preventing active EVD proliferation seems to act through epigenetic control in sporophytic tissues in the mother plant. In consequence, once activated, this retrotransposon proliferates in plant populations owing to suppressed epigenetic control during paternal transmission. This parental gateway might contribute to the occasional bursts of retrotransposon mobilization deduced from the genome sequences of many plant species.

Kin conflict in seed development: an interdependent but fractious collective

Seeds are complex structures that unite diploid maternal tissues with filial tissues that may be haploid (gametophyte), diploid (embryo), or triploid (endosperm). Maternal tissues are predicted to favor smaller seeds than are favored by filial tissues, and filial genes of maternal origin are predicted to favor smaller seeds than are favored by filial genes of paternal origin. Consistent with these predictions, seed size is determined by an interplay between growth of maternal integuments, which limits seed size, and of filial endosperm, which promotes larger seeds. Within endosperm, genes of paternal origin favor delayed cellularization of endosperm and larger seeds, whereas genes of maternal origin favor early cellularization and smaller seeds. The ratio of maternal and paternal gene products in endosperm contributes to the failure of crosses between different ploidy levels of the same species and crosses between species. Maternally expressed small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are predicted to associate with growth-enhancing genes.

Epigenetic regulation of adaptive responses of forest tree species to the environment

Epigenetic variation is likely to contribute to the phenotypic plasticity and adaptative capacity of plant species, and may be especially important for long-lived organisms with complex life cycles, including forest trees. Diverse environmental stresses and hybridization/polyploidization events can create reversible heritable epigenetic marks that can be transmitted to subsequent generations as a form of molecular "memory". Epigenetic changes might also contribute to the ability of plants to colonize or persist in variable environments. In this review, we provide an overview of recent data on epigenetic mechanisms involved in developmental processes and responses to environmental cues in plant, with a focus on forest tree species. We consider the possible role of forest tree epigenetics as a new source of adaptive traits in plant breeding, biotechnology, and ecosystem conservation under rapid climate change.

DNA elements reducing transcriptional gene silencing revealed by a novel screening strategy

Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS)--a phenomenon observed in endogenous genes/transgenes in eukaryotes--is a huge hindrance to transgenic technology and occurs mainly when the genes involved share sequence homology in their promoter regions. TGS depends on chromosomal position, suggesting the existence of genomic elements that suppress TGS. However, no systematic approach to identify such DNA elements has yet been reported. Here, we developed a successful novel screening strategy to identify such elements (anti-silencing regions-ASRs), based on their ability to protect a flanked transgene from TGS. A silenced transgenic tobacco plant in which a subsequently introduced transgene undergoes obligatory promoter-homology dependent TGS in trans allowed the ability of DNA elements to prevent TGS to be used as the screening criterion. We also identified ASRs in a genomic library from a different plant species (Lotus japonicus: a perennial legume); the ASRs include portions of Ty1/copia retrotransposon-like and pararetrovirus-like sequences; the retrotransposon-like sequences also showed interspecies anti-TGS activity in a TGS-induction system in Arabidopsis. Anti-TGS elements could provide effective tools to reduce TGS and ensure proper regulation of transgene expression. Furthermore, the screening strategy described here will also facilitate the efficient identification of new classes of anti-TGS elements.

Regulation of transposable elements in maize

Maize is a typical plant with respect to the proportion of its genome that is composed of transposable elements (TEs), but it is unusual in the number of well-characterized active TEs that it hosts. This has made it possible to examine in some detail the factors responsible for regulating the activity of these elements, particularly the means by which they are recognized and epigenetically silenced. That analysis has revealed that TE silencing is a complex process that involves careful distinctions of different developmental times and tissue types. The available evidence from maize and other species suggests that these distinctions are made in order to generate information in somatic tissues that can be used to induce or reinforce silencing in germinal tissues.

Transposable element small RNAs as regulators of gene expression

Transposable elements (TEs) are a source of endogenous small RNAs in animals and plants. These TE-derived small RNAs have been traditionally treated as functionally distinct from gene-regulating small RNAs, such as miRNAs. Two recent reports in Drosophila and Arabidopsis have blurred the lines of this distinction. In both examples, epigenetically and developmentally regulated bursts in TE expression produce gene-regulating small RNAs. In the Drosophila early embryo, maternally deposited TE-derived PIWI-interacting small RNAs (piRNAs) play a role in regulating the nanos mRNA through small RNA binding sites in the nanos 3' untranslated region (UTR). In Arabidopsis, when Athila retrotransposons are epigenetically activated, their transcripts are processed into small RNAs, which directly target the 3'UTR of the genic oligouridylate binding protein 1B (UBP1b) mRNA. Based on these two examples, we suggest that other TE-derived small RNAs regulate additional genes and propose that, through small RNAs, the epigenetic status of TEs could widely influence the genic transcriptome.

Positive selection of co-opted mobile genetic elements in a mammalian gene: If you can't beat them, join them

The proopiomelanocortin (Pomc) gene encodes a prepropeptide with essential functions in the response to stress and energy balance, which is expressed in the pituitary and hypothalamus of vertebrate animals. Neuronal expression of Pomc is controlled by two distal enhancers named nPE1 and nPE2. Using transgenic mice, we observed that both enhancers drive identical expression patterns in the mammalian hypothalamus, starting at embryonic day 10.5, when endogenous Pomc expression commences. This overlapping enhancer activity is maintained throughout hypothalamic development and into adulthood. We also found that nPE1 and nPE2 were exapted as neuronal enhancers into the POMC locus after the sequential insertion of two unrelated retroposons. Thus, nPE1 and nPE2 are functional analogs and represent an authentic first example of convergent molecular evolution of cell-specific transcriptional enhancers. In this Commentary we discuss the following questions that remain unanswered: (1) how does transcriptional control of POMC operate in hypothalamic neurons of non-mammalian vertebrates? (2) What evolutionary forces are maintaining two discrete neuronal POMC enhancers under purifying selection for the last ~100 million years in all placental mammals? (3) What is the contribution of MaLRs to genome evolution?