1
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Zeng Y, Somers J, Bell HS, Vejlupkova Z, Kelly Dawe R, Fowler JE, Nelms B, Gent JI. Potent pollen gene regulation by DNA glycosylases in maize. Nat Commun 2024; 15:8352. [PMID: 39333110 PMCID: PMC11436724 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-52620-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Although DNA methylation primarily represses TEs, it also represses select genes that are methylated in plant body tissues but demethylated by DNA glycosylases (DNGs) in endosperm or pollen. Either one of two DNGs, MATERNAL DEREPRESSION OF R1 (MDR1) or DNG102, is essential for pollen viability in maize. Using single-pollen mRNA sequencing on pollen-segregating mutations in both genes, we identify 58 candidate DNG target genes that account for 11.1% of the wild-type transcriptome but are silent or barely detectable in other tissues. They are unusual in their tendency to lack introns but even more so in their TE-like methylation (teM) in coding DNA. The majority have predicted functions in cell wall modification, and they likely support the rapid tip growth characteristic of pollen tubes. These results suggest a critical role for DNA methylation and demethylation in regulating maize genes with the potential for extremely high expression in pollen but constitutive silencing elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Zeng
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Julian Somers
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Harrison S Bell
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Zuzana Vejlupkova
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - R Kelly Dawe
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - John E Fowler
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
| | - Brad Nelms
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
| | - Jonathan I Gent
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
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2
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Panhwar SA, Wang D, Lin F, Wang Y, Liu M, Chen R, Huang Y, Wu W, Huang D, Xiao Y, Xia W. Characterization of active transposable elements and their new insertions in tuber propagated greater yam (Dioscorea alata). BMC Genomics 2024; 25:864. [PMID: 39285286 PMCID: PMC11403837 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10779-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Greater yam is a key staple crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions, while its asexual propagation mode had led to non-flowering mutations. How transposable elements contribute to its genetic variations is rarely analyzed. We used transcriptome and whole genome sequencing data to identify active transposable elements (TEs) and genetic variation caused by these active TEs. Our aim was to shed light on which TEs would lead to its intraspecies variation. RESULTS Annotation of de novo assembly transcripts indicated that 0.8 - 0.9% of transcripts were TE related, with LTR retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) accounted for 65% TE transcripts. A large portion of these transcripts were non-autonomous TEs, which had incomplete functional domains. The majority of mapped transcripts were distributed in genic deficient regions, with 9% of TEs overlapping with genic regions. Moreover, over 90% TE transcripts exhibited low expression levels and insufficient reads coverage to support full-length structure assembly. Subfamily analysis of Copia and Gypsy, the two LTR-RTs revealed that a small number of subfamilies contained a significantly larger number of members, which play a key role in generating TE transcript. Based on resequencing data, 15,002 L-RT insertion loci were detected for active LTR-RT members. The insertion loci of LTR-RTs were highly divergent among greater yam accessions. CONCLUSIONS This study showed the ongoing transcription and transpositions of TEs in greater yam, despite low transcription levels and incomplete proteins insufficient for autonomous transposition. While our research did not directly link these TEs to specific yam traits such as tuber yield and propagation mode, it lays a crucial foundation for further research on how these TE insertion polymorphisms (TIPs) might be related to variations in greater yam traits and its tuber propagation mode. Future research may explore the potential roles of TEs in trait variations, such as tuber yield and stress resistance, in greater yam.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajjad Ali Panhwar
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Dandan Wang
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Fanhui Lin
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Mengli Liu
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Runan Chen
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Yonglan Huang
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Wenqiang Wu
- School of life sciences, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China
| | - Dongyi Huang
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China.
| | - Yong Xiao
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China.
| | - Wei Xia
- School of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, 570228, Haikou, P.R. China.
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3
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Herridge RP, Dolata J, Migliori V, de Santis Alves C, Borges F, Schorn AJ, van Ex F, Lin A, Bajczyk M, Parent JS, Leonardi T, Hendrick A, Kouzarides T, Martienssen RA. Pseudouridine guides germline small RNA transport and epigenetic inheritance. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024:10.1038/s41594-024-01392-6. [PMID: 39242979 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01392-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Developmental epigenetic modifications in plants and animals are mostly reset during gamete formation but some are inherited from the germline. Small RNAs guide these epigenetic modifications but how inherited small RNAs are distinguished in plants and animals is unknown. Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant RNA modification but has not been explored in small RNAs. Here, we develop assays to detect Ψ in short RNA sequences, demonstrating its presence in mouse and Arabidopsis microRNAs. Germline small RNAs, namely epigenetically activated small interfering RNAs (easiRNAs) in Arabidopsis pollen and Piwi-interacting RNAs in mouse testes, are enriched for Ψ. In pollen, pseudouridylated easiRNAs are transported to sperm cells from the vegetative nucleus, and PAUSED/HEN5 (PSD), the plant homolog of Exportin-t, interacts genetically with Ψ and is required for this transport. We further show that Exportin-t is required for the triploid block: small RNA dosage-dependent seed lethality that is epigenetically inherited from pollen. Thus, Ψ has a conserved role in marking inherited small RNAs in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan P Herridge
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Jakub Dolata
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Valentina Migliori
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Filipe Borges
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- CNRS, INRA Versailles, Versailles, France
| | - Andrea J Schorn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
| | - Frédéric van Ex
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Inari LLC, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ann Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mateusz Bajczyk
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Jean-Sebastien Parent
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA
- Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Tommaso Leonardi
- Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Milan, Italy
| | - Alan Hendrick
- Storm Therapeutics, Ltd., Moneta Building (B280), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, USA.
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4
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Shimada A, Cahn J, Ernst E, Lynn J, Grimanelli D, Henderson I, Kakutani T, Martienssen RA. Retrotransposon addiction promotes centromere function via epigenetically activated small RNAs. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:1304-1316. [PMID: 39223305 PMCID: PMC11410651 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01773-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
Retrotransposons have invaded eukaryotic centromeres in cycles of repeat expansion and purging, but the function of centromeric retrotransposons has remained unclear. In Arabidopsis, centromeric ATHILA retrotransposons give rise to epigenetically activated short interfering RNAs in mutants in DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1). Here we show that mutants that lose both DDM1 and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase have pleiotropic developmental defects and mis-segregate chromosome 5 during mitosis. Fertility and segregation defects are epigenetically inherited with centromere 5, and can be rescued by directing artificial small RNAs to ATHILA5 retrotransposons that interrupt tandem satellite repeats. Epigenetically activated short interfering RNAs promote pericentromeric condensation, chromosome cohesion and chromosome segregation in mitosis. We propose that insertion of ATHILA silences centromeric transcription, while simultaneously making centromere function dependent on retrotransposon small RNAs in the absence of DDM1. Parallels are made with the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, where chromosome cohesion depends on RNA interference, and with humans, where chromosome segregation depends on both RNA interference and HELLSDDM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Shimada
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA
| | - Evan Ernst
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Ian Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, NY, USA.
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5
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Quadrana L. A centromere's obsession with transposons. NATURE PLANTS 2024; 10:1282-1283. [PMID: 39223306 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-024-01724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Quadrana
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay, Centre Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique, Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay, France.
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6
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Zhang H, Zhu JK. Epigenetic gene regulation in plants and its potential applications in crop improvement. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00769-1. [PMID: 39192154 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00769-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation, also known as 5-methylcytosine, is an epigenetic modification that has crucial functions in plant growth, development and adaptation. The cellular DNA methylation level is tightly regulated by the combined action of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases. Protein complexes involved in the targeting and interpretation of DNA methylation have been identified, revealing intriguing roles of methyl-DNA binding proteins and molecular chaperones. Structural studies and in vitro reconstituted enzymatic systems have provided mechanistic insights into RNA-directed DNA methylation, the main pathway catalysing de novo methylation in plants. A better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms will enable locus-specific manipulation of the DNA methylation status. CRISPR-dCas9-based epigenome editing tools are being developed for this goal. Given that DNA methylation patterns can be stably transmitted through meiosis, and that large phenotypic variations can be contributed by epimutations, epigenome editing holds great promise in crop breeding by creating additional phenotypic variability on the same genetic material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Science, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
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7
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Li L, Yang H, Zhao Y, Hu Q, Zhang X, Jiang T, Jiang H, Zheng B. ARID1 is required to regulate and reinforce H3K9me2 in sperm cells in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2024; 15:7078. [PMID: 39152128 PMCID: PMC11329518 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51513-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin de-condensation in companion gametic cells is conserved in both plants and animals. In plants, microspore undergoes asymmetric pollen mitosis (PMI) to produce a vegetative cell (VC) and a generative cell (GC). Subsequently, the GC undergoes pollen mitosis (PMII) to produce two sperm cells (SC). Consistent with heterochromatin de-condensation in the VC, H3K9me2, a heterochromatin mark, is barely detected in VC. However, how H3K9me2 is differentially regulated during pollen mitosis remains unclear. Here, we show that H3K9me2 is gradually evicted from the VC since PMI but remain unchanged in the GC and SC. ARID1, a pollen-specific transcription factor that facilitates PMII, promotes H3K9me2 maintenance in the GC/SC but slows down its eviction in the VC. The genomic targets of ARID1 mostly overlaps with H3K9me2 loci, and ARID1 recruits H3K9 methyltransferase SUVH6. Our results uncover that differential pattern of H3K9me2 between two cell types is regulated by ARID1 during pollen mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaihao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qianqian Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaotuo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ting Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hua Jiang
- The Leibniz Institute for Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Stadt Seeland, Germany
| | - Binglian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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8
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Kulikova DA, Bespalova AV, Zelentsova ES, Evgen'ev MB, Funikov SY. Epigenetic Phenomenon of Paramutation in Plants and Animals. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2024; 89:1429-1450. [PMID: 39245454 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297924080054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 09/10/2024]
Abstract
The phenomenon of paramutation describes the interaction between two alleles, in which one allele initiates inherited epigenetic conversion of another allele without affecting the DNA sequence. Epigenetic transformations due to paramutation are accompanied by the change in DNA and/or histone methylation patterns, affecting gene expression. Studies of paramutation in plants and animals have identified small non-coding RNAs as the main effector molecules required for the initiation of epigenetic changes in gene loci. Due to the fact that small non-coding RNAs can be transmitted across generations, the paramutation effect can be inherited and maintained in a population. In this review, we will systematically analyze examples of paramutation in different living systems described so far, highlighting common and different molecular and genetic aspects of paramutation between organisms, and considering the role of this phenomenon in evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina A Kulikova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
- Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Alina V Bespalova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Elena S Zelentsova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Mikhail B Evgen'ev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Sergei Yu Funikov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991, Russia.
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9
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Zeng Y, Somers J, Bell HS, Vejlupkova Z, Dawe RK, Fowler JE, Nelms B, Gent JI. Potent pollen gene regulation by DNA glycosylases in maize. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.13.580204. [PMID: 38405940 PMCID: PMC10888782 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.13.580204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Although DNA methylation primarily represses TEs, it also represses select genes that are methylated in plant body tissues but demethylated by DNA glycosylases (DNGs) in endosperm or pollen. Activity of either one of two DNGs, MDR1 or DNG102, is essential for pollen viability in maize. Using single-pollen mRNA sequencing on pollen segregating mutations in both genes, we identified 58 candidate DNG target genes that account for 11.1% of the wild-type transcriptome but are silent or barely detectable in the plant body (sporophyte). They are unusual in their tendency to lack introns but even more so in their having TE-like methylation in their CDS. The majority have predicted functions in cell wall modification, and they likely support the rapid tip growth characteristic of pollen tubes. These results suggest a critical role for DNA methylation and demethylation in regulating maize genes with potential for extremely high expression in pollen but constitutive silencing elsewhere.
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10
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Baduel P, Sammarco I, Barrett R, Coronado‐Zamora M, Crespel A, Díez‐Rodríguez B, Fox J, Galanti D, González J, Jueterbock A, Wootton E, Harney E. The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13730. [PMID: 39050763 PMCID: PMC11266121 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenome is the suite of interacting chemical marks and molecules that helps to shape patterns of development, phenotypic plasticity and gene regulation, in part due to its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. There is increasing interest in understanding the functional and evolutionary importance of this sensitivity under ecologically realistic conditions. Observations that epigenetic variation abounds in natural populations have prompted speculation that it may facilitate evolutionary responses to rapid environmental perturbations, such as those occurring under climate change. A frequent point of contention is whether epigenetic variants reflect genetic variation or are independent of it. The genome and epigenome often appear tightly linked and interdependent. While many epigenetic changes are genetically determined, the converse is also true, with DNA sequence changes influenced by the presence of epigenetic marks. Understanding how the epigenome, genome and environment interact with one another is therefore an essential step in explaining the broader evolutionary consequences of epigenomic variation. Drawing on results from experimental and comparative studies carried out in diverse plant and animal species, we synthesize our current understanding of how these factors interact to shape phenotypic variation in natural populations, with a focus on identifying similarities and differences between taxonomic groups. We describe the main components of the epigenome and how they vary within and between taxa. We review how variation in the epigenome interacts with genetic features and environmental determinants, with a focus on the role of transposable elements (TEs) in integrating the epigenome, genome and environment. And we look at recent studies investigating the functional and evolutionary consequences of these interactions. Although epigenetic differentiation in nature is likely often a result of drift or selection on stochastic epimutations, there is growing evidence that a significant fraction of it can be stably inherited and could therefore contribute to evolution independently of genetic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale SupérieurePSL University, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Iris Sammarco
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhoniceCzechia
| | - Rowan Barrett
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | | | | | | | - Janay Fox
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Dario Galanti
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology (EvE)University of TuebingenTübingenGermany
| | | | - Alexander Jueterbock
- Algal and Microbial Biotechnology Division, Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversityBodøNorway
| | - Eric Wootton
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Ewan Harney
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologyCSIC, UPFBarcelonaSpain
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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11
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Rauf A, Wang A, Li Y, Lian Z, Wei S, Jabbar K, Wisal M, Khan I, Khalid M, Li J. The male germ unit association is independently regulated of GUM in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANT DIRECT 2024; 8:e624. [PMID: 39076347 PMCID: PMC11286290 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 06/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024]
Abstract
Cytoplasmic projections (CPs) formed by the generative and sperm cells link the male gametes with the vegetative cell (VC) nucleus, which are required to build the male germ unit (MGU) assemblage in the angiosperm pollen grain. As molecular and genetic controls underlying CP development and formation of the MGU are unknown, it was hypothesized that physical association between germ cells and the VC nucleus might be lost in germ unit malformed (gum) mutants or in those which either block generative cell (GC) division or that additionally prevent gamete differentiation. In vivo, analysis of marked cellular components demonstrated a linkage of sperm cells (SCs) and the VC nucleus in gum mutant alleles despite their increased physical separation. Similarly, for several independent classes of bicellular pollen mutants, undivided GCs were associated with the VC nucleus like GCs in wild-type pollen. We conclude that the early formation of GC CPs to establish the MGU is regulated independently of DUO1-DAZ1 and DUO3 transcription factors as well as cyclin-dependent kinase function (CDKA;1). As the absence of cytoplasmic protrusion was expected in the gum mutants in Arabidopsis, early histological studies reported temporal disappearance of cytoplasmic protrusion in several organisms. Our findings demonstrated the striking importance of live imaging to verify the broad conservation of the persistent MGU contact in all the angiosperms and its important role in successful double fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdur Rauf
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
- Garden Campus, Department of Botany Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan KP Pakistan
- Department of Genetic and Genome Biology University of Leicester UK
- Hainan Banana Healthy Seedling Propagation Engineering Research Center, Haikou Experimental Station Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Haikou Hainan China
| | - Anbang Wang
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
| | - Yujia Li
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
| | - Zhihao Lian
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
| | - Shouxing Wei
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
| | | | - Muhammad Wisal
- Garden Campus, Department of Botany Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan KP Pakistan
| | - Ikramullah Khan
- Garden Campus, Department of Botany Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan KP Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Khalid
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Mathematics and Technology Wenzhou-Kean University Wenzhou China
| | - Jingyang Li
- National Key Laboratory for Tropical Crop Breeding, Tropical Crop Genetic Resources Institute Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Sanya/Haikou Hainan China
- Hainan Banana Healthy Seedling Propagation Engineering Research Center, Haikou Experimental Station Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences Haikou Hainan China
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12
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Manav N, Jit BP, Kataria B, Sharma A. Cellular and epigenetic perspective of protein stability and its implications in the biological system. Epigenomics 2024; 16:879-900. [PMID: 38884355 PMCID: PMC11370918 DOI: 10.1080/17501911.2024.2351788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein stability is a fundamental prerequisite in both experimental and therapeutic applications. Current advancements in high throughput experimental techniques and functional ontology approaches have elucidated that impairment in the structure and stability of proteins is intricately associated with the cause and cure of several diseases. Therefore, it is paramount to deeply understand the physical and molecular confounding factors governing the stability of proteins. In this review article, we comprehensively investigated the evolution of protein stability, examining its emergence over time, its relationship with organizational aspects and the experimental methods used to understand it. Furthermore, we have also emphasized the role of Epigenetics and its interplay with post-translational modifications (PTMs) in regulating the stability of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Manav
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Ansari Nagar, 110029, India
| | - Bimal Prasad Jit
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Ansari Nagar, 110029, India
| | - Babita Kataria
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Cancer Institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jhajjar, 124105, India
| | - Ashok Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Ansari Nagar, 110029, India
- Department of Biochemistry, National Cancer Institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Jhajjar, 124105, India
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13
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Pachamuthu K, Simon M, Borges F. Targeted suppression of siRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis pollen promotes triploid seed viability. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4612. [PMID: 38816386 PMCID: PMC11139921 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48950-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In plants, small-interfering RNAs (siRNAs) mediate epigenetic silencing via the RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway, which is particularly prominent during reproduction and seed development. However, there is limited understanding of the origins and dynamics of reproductive siRNAs acting in different cellular and developmental contexts. Here, we used the RNaseIII-like protein RTL1 to suppress siRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis pollen, and found distinct siRNA subsets produced during pollen development. We demonstrate that RTL1 expression in the late microspore and vegetative cell strongly impairs epigenetic silencing, and resembles RdDM mutants in their ability to bypass interploidy hybridization barriers in the seed. However, germline-specific RTL1 expression did not impact transgenerational inheritance of triploid seed lethality. These results reveal the existence of multiple siRNA subsets accumulated in mature pollen, and suggest that mobile siRNAs involved in the triploid block are produced in germline precursor cells after meiosis, or in the vegetative cell during pollen mitosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Pachamuthu
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), Versailles, France
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Matthieu Simon
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), Versailles, France
| | - Filipe Borges
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), Versailles, France.
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14
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Liu S, Cheng H, Zhang Y, He M, Zuo D, Wang Q, Lv L, Lin Z, Liu J, Song G. Cotton transposon-related variome reveals roles of transposon-related variations in modern cotton cultivation. J Adv Res 2024:S2090-1232(24)00209-1. [PMID: 38810909 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2024.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Transposon plays a vital role in cotton genome evolution, contributing to the expansion and divergence of genomes within the Gossypium genus. However, knowledge of transposon activity in modern cotton cultivation is limited. OBJECTIVES In this study, we aimed to construct transposon-related variome within Gossypium genus and reveal role of transposon-related variations during cotton cultivation. In addition, we try to identify valuable transposon-related variations for cotton breeding. METHODS We utilized graphical genome construction to build up the graphical transposon-related variome. Based on the graphical variome, we integrated t-test, eQTL analysis and Mendelian Randomization (MR) to identify valuable transposon activities and elite genes. In addition, a convolutional neural network (CNN) model was constructed to evaluate epigenomic effects of transposon-related variations. RESULTS We identified 35,980 transposon activities among 10 cotton genomes, and the diversity of genomic and epigenomic features was observed among 21 transposon categories. The graphical cotton transposon-related variome was constructed, and 9,614 transposon-related variations with plasticity in the modern cotton cohort were used for eQTL, phenotypic t-test and Mendelian Randomization. 128 genes were identified as gene resources improving fiber length and strength simultaneously. 4 genes were selected from 128 genes to construct the elite gene panel whose utility has been validated in a natural cotton cohort and 2 accessions with phenotypic divergence. Based on the eQTL analysis results, we identified transposon-related variations involved in cotton's environmental adaption and human domestication, providing evidence of their role in cotton's adaption-domestication cooperation. CONCLUSIONS The cotton transposon-related variome revealed the role of transposon-related variations in modern cotton cultivation, providing genomic resources for cotton molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shang Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hailiang Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; Zhengzhou Research Base, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Youping Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Man He
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Dongyun Zuo
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Qiaolian Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Limin Lv
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Zhongxv Lin
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ji Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China.
| | - Guoli Song
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; Zhengzhou Research Base, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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15
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Chu J, Newman J, Cho J. Molecular Mimicry of Transposable Elements in Plants. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024:pcae058. [PMID: 38808931 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcae058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA elements that are particularly abundant in the plant genomes. They have long been considered as junk DNA; however, a growing body of evidence suggests that TE insertions promote genetic diversity that is essential for the adaptive evolution of a species. Thus far, studies have mainly investigated the cis-acting regulatory roles of TEs generated by their insertions nearby or within the host genes. However, the trans-acting effects of TE-derived RNA and DNA remained obscure to date. TEs contain various regulatory elements within their sequences that can accommodate the binding of specific RNAs and proteins. Recently, it was suggested that some of these cellular regulators are shared between TEs and the host genes, and the competition for the common host factors underlies the fine-tuned developmental reprogramming. In this review, we will highlight and discuss the latest discoveries on the biological functions of plant TEs, with a particular focus on their competitive binding with specific developmental regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, Beijing 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Josephine Newman
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jungnam Cho
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
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16
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Wang Y, Duchen P, Chávez A, Sree KS, Appenroth KJ, Zhao H, Höfer M, Huber M, Xu S. Population genomics and epigenomics of Spirodela polyrhiza provide insights into the evolution of facultative asexuality. Commun Biol 2024; 7:581. [PMID: 38755313 PMCID: PMC11099151 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06266-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many plants are facultatively asexual, balancing short-term benefits with long-term costs of asexuality. During range expansion, natural selection likely influences the genetic controls of asexuality in these organisms. However, evidence of natural selection driving asexuality is limited, and the evolutionary consequences of asexuality on the genomic and epigenomic diversity remain controversial. We analyzed population genomes and epigenomes of Spirodela polyrhiza, (L.) Schleid., a facultatively asexual plant that flowers rarely, revealing remarkably low genomic diversity and DNA methylation levels. Within species, demographic history and the frequency of asexual reproduction jointly determined intra-specific variations of genomic diversity and DNA methylation levels. Genome-wide scans revealed that genes associated with stress adaptations, flowering and embryogenesis were under positive selection. These data are consistent with the hypothesize that natural selection can shape the evolution of asexuality during habitat expansions, which alters genomic and epigenomic diversity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangzi Wang
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Pablo Duchen
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Alexandra Chávez
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - K Sowjanya Sree
- Department of Environmental Science, Central University of Kerala, Periya, 671320, India
| | - Klaus J Appenroth
- Matthias Schleiden Institute - Plant Physiology, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Hai Zhao
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 6100641, Chengdu, China
| | - Martin Höfer
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Meret Huber
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany
| | - Shuqing Xu
- Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, University of Mainz, 55128, Mainz, Germany.
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, University of Münster, 48161, Münster, Germany.
- Institute for Quantitative and Computational Biosciences, University of Mainz, 55218, Mainz, Germany.
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17
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Simon L, Probst AV. Maintenance and dynamic reprogramming of chromatin organization during development. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 118:657-670. [PMID: 36700345 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Controlled transcription of genes is critical for cell differentiation and development. Gene expression regulation therefore involves a multilayered control from nucleosome composition in histone variants and their post-translational modifications to higher-order folding of chromatin fibers and chromatin interactions in nuclear space. Recent technological advances have allowed gaining insight into these mechanisms, the interplay between local and higher-order chromatin organization, and the dynamic changes that occur during stress response and developmental transitions. In this review, we will discuss chromatin organization from the nucleosome to its three-dimensional structure in the nucleus, and consider how these different layers of organization are maintained during the cell cycle or rapidly reprogrammed during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauriane Simon
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Aline V Probst
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000, Clermont-Ferrand, France
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18
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Bente H, Köhler C. Molecular basis and evolutionary drivers of endosperm-based hybridization barriers. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:155-169. [PMID: 38298124 PMCID: PMC11060687 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
The endosperm, a transient seed tissue, plays a pivotal role in supporting embryo growth and germination. This unique feature sets flowering plants apart from gymnosperms, marking an evolutionary innovation in the world of seed-bearing plants. Nevertheless, the importance of the endosperm extends beyond its role in providing nutrients to the developing embryo by acting as a versatile protector, preventing hybridization events between distinct species and between individuals with different ploidy. This phenomenon centers on growth and differentiation of the endosperm and the speed at which both processes unfold. Emerging studies underscore the important role played by type I MADS-box transcription factors, including the paternally expressed gene PHERES1. These factors, along with downstream signaling pathways involving auxin and abscisic acid, are instrumental in regulating endosperm development and, consequently, the establishment of hybridization barriers. Moreover, mutations in various epigenetic regulators mitigate these barriers, unveiling a complex interplay of pathways involved in their formation. In this review, we discuss the molecular underpinnings of endosperm-based hybridization barriers and their evolutionary drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heinrich Bente
- Department of Plant Reproductive Biology and Epigenetics, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam 14476, Germany
| | - Claudia Köhler
- Department of Plant Reproductive Biology and Epigenetics, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam 14476, Germany
- Department of Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala 75007, Sweden
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19
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Junaid MD, Chaudhry UK, Şanlı BA, Gökçe AF, Öztürk ZN. A review of the potential involvement of small RNAs in transgenerational abiotic stress memory in plants. Funct Integr Genomics 2024; 24:74. [PMID: 38600306 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-024-01354-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Crop production is increasingly threatened by the escalating weather events and rising temperatures associated with global climate change. Plants have evolved adaptive mechanisms, including stress memory, to cope with abiotic stresses such as heat, drought, and salinity. Stress memory involves priming, where plants remember prior stress exposures, providing enhanced responses to subsequent stress events. Stress memory can manifest as somatic, intergenerational, or transgenerational memory, persisting for different durations. The chromatin, a central regulator of gene expression, undergoes modifications like DNA acetylation, methylation, and histone variations in response to abiotic stress. Histone modifications, such as H3K4me3 and acetylation, play crucial roles in regulating gene expression. Abiotic stresses like drought and salinity are significant challenges to crop production, leading to yield reductions. Plant responses to stress involve strategies like escape, avoidance, and tolerance, each influencing growth stages differently. Soil salinity affects plant growth by disrupting water potential, causing ion toxicity, and inhibiting nutrient uptake. Understanding plant responses to these stresses requires insights into histone-mediated modifications, chromatin remodeling, and the role of small RNAs in stress memory. Histone-mediated modifications, including acetylation and methylation, contribute to epigenetic stress memory, influencing plant adaptation to environmental stressors. Chromatin remodeling play a crucial role in abiotic stress responses, affecting the expression of stress-related genes. Small RNAs; miRNAs and siRNAs, participate in stress memory pathways by guiding DNA methylation and histone modifications. The interplay of these epigenetic mechanisms helps plants adapt to recurring stress events and enhance their resilience. In conclusion, unraveling the epigenetic mechanisms in plant responses to abiotic stresses provides valuable insights for developing resilient agricultural techniques. Understanding how plants utilize stress memory, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and small RNAs is crucial for designing strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change on crop production and global food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Daniyal Junaid
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Ayhan Şahenk Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Türkiye, Turkey.
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Usman Khalid Chaudhry
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Ayhan Şahenk Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Türkiye, Turkey
- Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Climate Change & Environmental Coordination, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Beyazıt Abdurrahman Şanlı
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Ayhan Şahenk Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Türkiye, Turkey
| | - Ali Fuat Gökçe
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Ayhan Şahenk Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Türkiye, Turkey
| | - Zahide Neslihan Öztürk
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Ayhan Şahenk Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Niğde Ömer Halisdemir University, Niğde, Türkiye, Turkey
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20
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Harkess A, Bewick AJ, Lu Z, Fourounjian P, Michael TP, Schmitz RJ, Meyers BC. The unusual predominance of maintenance DNA methylation in Spirodela polyrhiza. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae004. [PMID: 38190722 PMCID: PMC10989885 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Duckweeds are among the fastest reproducing plants, able to clonally divide at exponential rates. However, the genetic and epigenetic impact of clonality on plant genomes is poorly understood. 5-methylcytosine (5mC) is a modified base often described as necessary for the proper regulation of certain genes and transposons and for the maintenance of genome integrity in plants. However, the extent of this dogma is limited by the current phylogenetic sampling of land plant species diversity. Here we analyzed DNA methylomes, small RNAs, mRNA-seq, and H3K9me2 histone modification for Spirodela polyrhiza. S. polyrhiza has lost highly conserved genes involved in de novo methylation of DNA at sites often associated with repetitive DNA, and within genes, however, symmetrical DNA methylation and heterochromatin are maintained during cell division at certain transposons and repeats. Consequently, small RNAs that normally guide methylation to silence repetitive DNA like retrotransposons are diminished. Despite the loss of a highly conserved methylation pathway, and the reduction of small RNAs that normally target repetitive DNA, transposons have not proliferated in the genome, perhaps due in part to the rapid, clonal growth lifestyle of duckweeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Harkess
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Adam J Bewick
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Zefu Lu
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Paul Fourounjian
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Todd P Michael
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Blake C Meyers
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO 63132, USA
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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21
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Bradamante G, Nguyen VH, Incarbone M, Meir Z, Bente H, Donà M, Lettner N, Scheid OM, Gutzat R. Two ARGONAUTE proteins loaded with transposon-derived small RNAs are associated with the reproductive cell lineage in Arabidopsis. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:863-880. [PMID: 38060984 PMCID: PMC10980394 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
In sexually propagating organisms, genetic, and epigenetic mutations are evolutionarily relevant only if they occur in the germline and are hence transmitted to the next generation. In contrast to most animals, plants are considered to lack an early segregating germline, implying that somatic cells can contribute genetic information to progeny. Here we demonstrate that 2 ARGONAUTE proteins, AGO5 and AGO9, mark cells associated with sexual reproduction in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) throughout development. Both AGOs are loaded with dynamically changing small RNA populations derived from highly methylated, pericentromeric, long transposons. Sequencing of single stem cell nuclei revealed that many of these transposons are co-expressed within an AGO5/9 expression domain in the shoot apical meristem (SAM). Co-occurrence of transposon expression and specific ARGONAUTE (AGO) expression in the SAM is reminiscent of germline features in animals and supports the existence of an early segregating germline in plants. Our results open the path to investigating transposon biology and epigenome dynamics at cellular resolution in the SAM stem cell niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Bradamante
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Vu Hoang Nguyen
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marco Incarbone
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Zohar Meir
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science & Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, 7610001 Rehovot, Israel
| | - Heinrich Bente
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Mattia Donà
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nicole Lettner
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ortrun Mittelsten Scheid
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ruben Gutzat
- Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030 Vienna, Austria
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22
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Rajabhoj MP, Sankar S, Bondada R, Shanmukhan AP, Prasad K, Maruthachalam R. Gametophytic epigenetic regulators, MEDEA and DEMETER, synergistically suppress ectopic shoot formation in Arabidopsis. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2024; 43:68. [PMID: 38341844 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-024-03159-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE The gametophytic epigenetic regulators, MEA and DME, extend their synergistic role to the sporophytic development by regulating the meristematic activity via restricting the gene expression in the shoot apex. The gametophyte-to-sporophyte transition facilitates the alternation of generations in a plant life cycle. The epigenetic regulators DEMETER (DME) and MEDEA (MEA) synergistically control central cell proliferation and differentiation, ensuring proper gametophyte-to-sporophyte transition in Arabidopsis. Mutant alleles of DME and MEA are female gametophyte lethal, eluding the recovery of recessive homozygotes to examine their role in the sporophyte. Here, we exploited the paternal transmission of these mutant alleles coupled with CENH3-haploid inducer to generate mea-1;dme-2 sporophytes. Strikingly, the simultaneous loss of function of MEA and DME leads to the emergence of ectopic shoot meristems at the apical pole of the plant body axis. DME and MEA are expressed in the developing shoot apex and regulate the expression of various shoot-promoting factors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), DNA methylation, and gene expression analysis revealed several shoot regulators as potential targets of MEA and DME. RNA interference-mediated transcriptional downregulation of shoot-promoting factors STM, CUC2, and PLT5 rescued the twin-plant phenotype to WT in 9-23% of mea-1-/-;dme-2-/- plants. Our findings reveal a previously unrecognized synergistic role of MEA and DME in restricting the meristematic activity at the shoot apex during sporophytic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohit P Rajabhoj
- School of Biology, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
| | - Sudev Sankar
- School of Biology, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zollikerstrasse 107, 8008, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ramesh Bondada
- School of Biology, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India
| | | | - Kalika Prasad
- Department of Biology, IISER Pune, Pune, Maharashtra, 411008, India.
| | - Ravi Maruthachalam
- School of Biology, IISER Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, 695551, India.
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23
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Mahmood T, He S, Abdullah M, Sajjad M, Jia Y, Ahmar S, Fu G, Chen B, Du X. Epigenetic insight into floral transition and seed development in plants. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 339:111926. [PMID: 37984609 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2023.111926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal changes are crucial in shifting the developmental stages from the vegetative phase to the reproductive phase in plants, enabling them to flower under optimal conditions. Plants grown at different latitudes sense and interpret these seasonal variations, such as changes in day length (photoperiod) and exposure to cold winter temperatures (vernalization). These environmental factors influence the expression of various genes related to flowering. Plants have evolved to stimulate a rapid response to environmental conditions through genetic and epigenetic mechanisms. Multiple epigenetic regulation systems have emerged in plants to interpret environmental signals. During the transition to the flowering phase, changes in gene expression are facilitated by chromatin remodeling and small RNAs interference, particularly in annual and perennial plants. Key flowering regulators, such as FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), interact with various factors and undergo chromatin remodeling in response to seasonal cues. The Polycomb silencing complex (PRC) controls the expression of flowering-related genes in photoperiodic flowering regulation. Under vernalization-dependent flowering, FLC acts as a potent flowering suppressor by downregulating the gene expression of various flower-promoting genes. Eventually, PRCs are critically involved in the regulation of FLC and FT locus interacting with several key genes in photoperiod and vernalization. Subsequently, PRCs also regulate Epigenetical events during gametogenesis and seed development as a driving force. Furthermore, DNA methylation in the context of CHG, CG, and CHH methylation plays a critical role in embryogenesis. DNA glycosylase DME (DEMETER) is responsible for demethylation during seed development. Thus, the review briefly discusses flowering regulation through light signaling, day length variation, temperature variation and seed development in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tahir Mahmood
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China; Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shoupu He
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China
| | - Muhammad Abdullah
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Muhammad Sajjad
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yinhua Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China
| | - Sunny Ahmar
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 28, 40-032 Katowice, Poland
| | - Guoyong Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China
| | - Baojun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China
| | - Xiongming Du
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang (CAAS), Anyang 455000, China.
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24
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Vaucheret H, Voinnet O. The plant siRNA landscape. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:246-275. [PMID: 37772967 PMCID: PMC10827316 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
Whereas micro (mi)RNAs are considered the clean, noble side of the small RNA world, small interfering (si)RNAs are often seen as a noisy set of molecules whose barbarian acronyms reflect a large diversity of often elusive origins and functions. Twenty-five years after their discovery in plants, however, new classes of siRNAs are still being identified, sometimes in discrete tissues or at particular developmental stages, making the plant siRNA world substantially more complex and subtle than originally anticipated. Focusing primarily on the model Arabidopsis, we review here the plant siRNA landscape, including transposable elements (TE)-derived siRNAs, a vast array of non-TE-derived endogenous siRNAs, as well as exogenous siRNAs produced in response to invading nucleic acids such as viruses or transgenes. We primarily emphasize the extraordinary sophistication and diversity of their biogenesis and, secondarily, the variety of their known or presumed functions, including via non-cell autonomous activities, in the sporophyte, gametophyte, and shortly after fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hervé Vaucheret
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000 Versailles, France
| | - Olivier Voinnet
- Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH-Zurich), 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
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25
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Hassan AH, Mokhtar MM, El Allali A. Transposable elements: multifunctional players in the plant genome. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 14:1330127. [PMID: 38239225 PMCID: PMC10794571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1330127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are indispensable components of eukaryotic genomes that play diverse roles in gene regulation, recombination, and environmental adaptation. Their ability to mobilize within the genome leads to gene expression and DNA structure changes. TEs serve as valuable markers for genetic and evolutionary studies and facilitate genetic mapping and phylogenetic analysis. They also provide insight into how organisms adapt to a changing environment by promoting gene rearrangements that lead to new gene combinations. These repetitive sequences significantly impact genome structure, function and evolution. This review takes a comprehensive look at TEs and their applications in biotechnology, particularly in the context of plant biology, where they are now considered "genomic gold" due to their extensive functionalities. The article addresses various aspects of TEs in plant development, including their structure, epigenetic regulation, evolutionary patterns, and their use in gene editing and plant molecular markers. The goal is to systematically understand TEs and shed light on their diverse roles in plant biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa H. Hassan
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Morad M. Mokhtar
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
- Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt
| | - Achraf El Allali
- Bioinformatics Laboratory, College of Computing, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Ben Guerir, Morocco
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26
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Felgines L, Rymen B, Martins LM, Xu G, Matteoli C, Himber C, Zhou M, Eis J, Coruh C, Böhrer M, Kuhn L, Chicher J, Pandey V, Hammann P, Wohlschlegel J, Waltz F, Law JA, Blevins T. CLSY docking to Pol IV requires a conserved domain critical for small RNA biogenesis and transposon silencing. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.26.573199. [PMID: 38234754 PMCID: PMC10793415 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.26.573199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotes must balance the need for gene transcription by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) against the danger of mutations caused by transposable element (TE) proliferation. In plants, these gene expression and TE silencing activities are divided between different RNA polymerases. Specifically, RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV), which evolved from Pol II, transcribes TEs to generate small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) that guide DNA methylation and block TE transcription by Pol II. While the Pol IV complex is recruited to TEs via SNF2-like CLASSY (CLSY) proteins, how Pol IV partners with the CLSYs remains unknown. Here we identified a conserved CYC-YPMF motif that is specific to Pol IV and is positioned on the complex exterior. Furthermore, we found that this motif is essential for the co-purification of all four CLSYs with Pol IV, but that only one CLSY is present in any given Pol IV complex. These findings support a "one CLSY per Pol IV" model where the CYC-YPMF motif acts as a CLSY-docking site. Indeed, mutations in and around this motif phenocopy pol iv null mutants. Together, these findings provide structural and functional insights into a critical protein feature that distinguishes Pol IV from other RNA polymerases, allowing it to promote genome stability by targeting TEs for silencing.
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27
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Kornienko AE, Nizhynska V, Molla Morales A, Pisupati R, Nordborg M. Population-level annotation of lncRNAs in Arabidopsis reveals extensive expression variation associated with transposable element-like silencing. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 36:85-111. [PMID: 37683092 PMCID: PMC10734619 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are understudied and underannotated in plants. In mammals, lncRNA loci are nearly as ubiquitous as protein-coding genes, and their expression is highly variable between individuals of the same species. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model, we aimed to elucidate the true scope of lncRNA transcription across plants from different regions and study its natural variation. We used transcriptome deep sequencing data sets spanning hundreds of natural accessions and several developmental stages to create a population-wide annotation of lncRNAs, revealing thousands of previously unannotated lncRNA loci. While lncRNA transcription is ubiquitous in the genome, most loci appear to be actively silenced and their expression is extremely variable between natural accessions. This high expression variability is largely caused by the high variability of repressive chromatin levels at lncRNA loci. High variability was particularly common for intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs), where pieces of transposable elements (TEs) present in 50% of these lincRNA loci are associated with increased silencing and variation, and such lncRNAs tend to be targeted by the TE silencing machinery. We created a population-wide lncRNA annotation in Arabidopsis and improve our understanding of plant lncRNA genome biology, raising fundamental questions about what causes transcription and silencing across the genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra E Kornienko
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Viktoria Nizhynska
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Almudena Molla Morales
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Rahul Pisupati
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Magnus Nordborg
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Dr. Bohr-gasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria
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28
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Kirov I. Toward Transgene-Free Transposon-Mediated Biological Mutagenesis for Plant Breeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17054. [PMID: 38069377 PMCID: PMC10706983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity is a key factor for plant breeding. The birth of novel genic and genomic variants is also crucial for plant adaptation in nature. Therefore, the genomes of almost all living organisms possess natural mutagenic mechanisms. Transposable elements (TEs) are a major mutagenic force driving genetic diversity in wild plants and modern crops. The relatively rare TE transposition activity during the thousand-year crop domestication process has led to the phenotypic diversity of many cultivated species. The utilization of TE mutagenesis by artificial and transient acceleration of their activity in a controlled mode is an attractive foundation for a novel type of mutagenesis called TE-mediated biological mutagenesis. Here, I focus on TEs as mutagenic sources for plant breeding and discuss existing and emerging transgene-free approaches for TE activation in plants. Furthermore, I also review the non-randomness of TE insertions in a plant genome and the molecular and epigenetic factors involved in shaping TE insertion preferences. Additionally, I discuss the molecular mechanisms that prevent TE transpositions in germline plant cells (e.g., meiocytes, pollen, egg and embryo cells, and shoot apical meristem), thereby reducing the chances of TE insertion inheritance. Knowledge of these mechanisms can expand the TE activation toolbox using novel gene targeting approaches. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of plant populations with induced novel TE insertions (iTE plant collections) are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Kirov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia;
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
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29
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Zhang M, Zhang X, Wang R, Zang R, Guo L, Qi T, Tang H, Chen L, Wang H, Qiao X, Wu J, Xing C. Heat-responsive microRNAs participate in regulating the pollen fertility stability of CMS-D2 restorer line under high-temperature stress. Biol Res 2023; 56:58. [PMID: 37941013 PMCID: PMC10634144 DOI: 10.1186/s40659-023-00465-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anther development and pollen fertility of cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) conditioned by Gossypium harknessii cytoplasm (CMS-D2) restorer lines are susceptible to continuous high-temperature (HT) stress in summer, which seriously hinders the large-scale application of "three-line" hybrids in production. Here, integrated small RNA, transcriptome, degradome, and hormone profiling was performed to explore the roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in regulating fertility stability in mature pollens of isonuclear alloplasmic near-isogenic restorer lines NH and SH under HT stress at two environments. A total of 211 known and 248 novel miRNAs were identified, of which 159 were differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs). Additionally, 45 DEMs in 39 miRNA clusters (PmCs) were also identified, and most highly expressed miRNAs were significantly induced in SH under extreme HT, especially four MIR482 and six MIR6300 family miRNAs. PmC28 was located in the fine-mapped interval of the Rf1 gene and contained two DEMs, gra-miR482_L-2R + 2 and gma-miR2118a-3p_R + 1_1ss18TG. Transcriptome sequencing identified 6281 differentially expressed genes, of which heat shock protein (HSP)-related genes, such as HSP70, HSP22, HSP18.5-C, HSP18.2 and HSP17.3-B, presented significantly reduced expression levels in SH under HT stress. Through integrating multi-omics data, we constructed a comprehensive molecular network of miRNA-mRNA-gene-KEGG containing 35 pairs of miRNA/target genes involved in regulating the pollen development in response to HT, among which the mtr-miR167a_R + 1, tcc-miR167c and ghr-miR390a, tcc-miR396c_L-1 and ghr-MIR169b-p3_1ss6AG regulated the pollen fertility by influencing ARF8 responsible for the auxin signal transduction, ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, and the sugar and lipid metabolism and transport pathways, respectively. Further combination with hormone analysis revealed that HT-induced jasmonic acid signaling could activate the expression of downstream auxin synthesis-related genes and cause excessive auxin accumulation, followed by a cascade of auxin signal transduction, ultimately resulting in pollen abortion. The results provide a new understanding of how heat-responsive miRNAs regulate the stability of fertility restoration for CMS-D2 cotton under heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Xuexian Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Ruijie Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Rong Zang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Liping Guo
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Tingxiang Qi
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Huini Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Liangliang Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Hailin Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Xiuqin Qiao
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China
| | - Jianyong Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China.
| | - Chaozhu Xing
- National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, 38 Huanghe Dadao, Anyang, 455000, Henan, China.
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30
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Herridge RP, Dolata J, Migliori V, de Santis Alves C, Borges F, Schorn AJ, Van Ex F, Parent JS, Lin A, Bajczyk M, Leonardi T, Hendrick A, Kouzarides T, Martienssen RA. Pseudouridine guides germline small RNA transport and epigenetic inheritance. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.27.542553. [PMID: 37398006 PMCID: PMC10312437 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.27.542553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications that arise during plant and animal development, such as DNA and histone modification, are mostly reset during gamete formation, but some are inherited from the germline including those marking imprinted genes1. Small RNAs guide these epigenetic modifications, and some are also inherited by the next generation2,3. In C. elegans, these inherited small RNAs have poly (UG) tails4, but how inherited small RNAs are distinguished in other animals and plants is unknown. Pseudouridine (Ψ) is the most abundant RNA modification but has not been explored in small RNAs. Here, we develop novel assays to detect Ψ in short RNA sequences, demonstrating its presence in mouse and Arabidopsis microRNAs and their precursors. We also detect substantial enrichment in germline small RNAs, namely epigenetically activated siRNAs (easiRNAs) in Arabidopsis pollen, and piwi-interacting piRNAs in mouse testis. In pollen, pseudouridylated easiRNAs are localized to sperm cells, and we found that PAUSED/HEN5 (PSD), the plant homolog of Exportin-t, interacts genetically with Ψ and is required for transport of easiRNAs into sperm cells from the vegetative nucleus. We further show that Exportin-t is required for the triploid block: chromosome dosage-dependent seed lethality that is epigenetically inherited from pollen. Thus, Ψ has a conserved role in marking inherited small RNAs in the germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan P Herridge
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Jakub Dolata
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Valentina Migliori
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Filipe Borges
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Andrea J Schorn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Frédéric Van Ex
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Jean-Sebastien Parent
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Ann Lin
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
| | - Mateusz Bajczyk
- Department of Gene Expression, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznan, Poland
| | - Tommaso Leonardi
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Alan Hendrick
- Storm Therapeutics, Ltd., Moneta Building (B280), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Tony Kouzarides
- The Gurdon Institute, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QN, UK
| | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 11724, USA
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31
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Ohnishi Y, Kawashima T. Evidence of a novel silencing effect on transgenes in the Arabidopsis thaliana sperm cell. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:3926-3936. [PMID: 37602710 PMCID: PMC10615207 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
We encountered unexpected transgene silencing in Arabidopsis thaliana sperm cells; transgenes encoding proteins with no specific intracellular localization (cytoplasmic proteins) were silenced transcriptionally or posttranscriptionally. The mRNA of cytoplasmic protein transgenes tagged with a fluorescent protein gene was significantly reduced, resulting in undetectable fluorescent protein signals in the sperm cell. Silencing of the cytoplasmic protein transgenes in the sperm cell did not affect the expression of either its endogenous homologous genes or cotransformed transgenes encoding a protein with targeted intracellular localization. This transgene silencing in the sperm cell persisted in mutants of the major gene silencing machinery including DNA methylation. The incomprehensible, yet real, transgene silencing phenotypes occurring in the sperm cell could mislead the interpretation of experimental results in plant reproduction, and this Commentary calls attention to that risk and highlights details of this novel cytoplasmic protein transgene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukinosuke Ohnishi
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40503,USA
| | - Tomokazu Kawashima
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40503,USA
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32
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Liu B, Zhao M. How transposable elements are recognized and epigenetically silenced in plants? CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102428. [PMID: 37481986 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Plant genomes are littered with transposable elements (TEs). Because TEs are potentially highly mutagenic, host organisms have evolved a set of defense mechanisms to recognize and epigenetically silence them. Although the maintenance of TE silencing is well studied, our understanding of the initiation of TE silencing is limited, but it clearly involves small RNAs and DNA methylation. Once TEs are silent, the silent state can be maintained to subsequent generations. However, under some circumstances, such inheritance is unstable, leading to the escape of TEs to the silencing machinery, resulting in the transcriptional activation of TEs. Epigenetic control of TEs has been found to be closely linked to many other epigenetic phenomena, such as genomic imprinting, and is known to contribute to regulation of genes, especially those near TEs. Here we review and discuss the current models of TE silencing, its unstable inheritance after hybridization, and the effects of epigenetic regulation of TEs on genomic imprinting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beibei Liu
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056, USA
| | - Meixia Zhao
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
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33
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Pachamuthu K, Borges F. Epigenetic control of transposons during plant reproduction: From meiosis to hybrid seeds. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102419. [PMID: 37480640 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
The regulation of transposable elements (TEs) requires overlapping epigenetic modifications that must be reinforced every cell division and generation. In plants, this is achieved by multiple pathways including small RNAs, DNA methylation, and repressive histone marks that act together to control TE expression and activity throughout the entire life cycle. However, transient TE activation is observed during reproductive transitions as a result of epigenome reprogramming, thus providing windows of opportunity for TE proliferation and epigenetic novelty. Ultimately, these events may originate complex TE-driven transcriptional networks or cell-to-cell communication strategies via mobile small RNAs. In this review, we discuss recent findings and current understanding of TE regulation during sexual plant reproduction, and its implications for fertility, early seed development, and epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kannan Pachamuthu
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000, Versailles, France. https://twitter.com/@KannanPachamut1
| | - Filipe Borges
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin (IJPB), 78000, Versailles, France.
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34
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Lee SC, Adams DW, Ipsaro JJ, Cahn J, Lynn J, Kim HS, Berube B, Major V, Calarco JP, LeBlanc C, Bhattacharjee S, Ramu U, Grimanelli D, Jacob Y, Voigt P, Joshua-Tor L, Martienssen RA. Chromatin remodeling of histone H3 variants by DDM1 underlies epigenetic inheritance of DNA methylation. Cell 2023; 186:4100-4116.e15. [PMID: 37643610 PMCID: PMC10529913 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Nucleosomes block access to DNA methyltransferase, unless they are remodeled by DECREASE in DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1LSH/HELLS), a Snf2-like master regulator of epigenetic inheritance. We show that DDM1 promotes replacement of histone variant H3.3 by H3.1. In ddm1 mutants, DNA methylation is partly restored by loss of the H3.3 chaperone HIRA, while the H3.1 chaperone CAF-1 becomes essential. The single-particle cryo-EM structure at 3.2 Å of DDM1 with a variant nucleosome reveals engagement with histone H3.3 near residues required for assembly and with the unmodified H4 tail. An N-terminal autoinhibitory domain inhibits activity, while a disulfide bond in the helicase domain supports activity. DDM1 co-localizes with H3.1 and H3.3 during the cell cycle, and with the DNA methyltransferase MET1Dnmt1, but is blocked by H4K16 acetylation. The male germline H3.3 variant MGH3/HTR10 is resistant to remodeling by DDM1 and acts as a placeholder nucleosome in sperm cells for epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Cho Lee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Dexter W Adams
- W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jonathan J Ipsaro
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Hyun-Soo Kim
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Benjamin Berube
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Viktoria Major
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Joseph P Calarco
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences, 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Chantal LeBlanc
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Sonali Bhattacharjee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Umamaheswari Ramu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Daniel Grimanelli
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, 911Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpelier, France
| | - Yannick Jacob
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Philipp Voigt
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Leemor Joshua-Tor
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA; W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
| | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA.
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Zhou J, Lei X, Shafiq S, Zhang W, Li Q, Li K, Zhu J, Dong Z, He XJ, Sun Q. DDM1-mediated R-loop resolution and H2A.Z exclusion facilitates heterochromatin formation in Arabidopsis. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg2699. [PMID: 37566662 PMCID: PMC10421056 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg2699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Programmed constitutive heterochromatin silencing is essential for eukaryotic genome regulation, yet the initial step of this process is ambiguous. A large proportion of R-loops (RNA:DNA hybrids) had been unexpectedly identified within Arabidopsis pericentromeric heterochromatin with unknown functions. Through a genome-wide R-loop profiling screen, we find that DDM1 (decrease in DNA methylation 1) is the primary restrictor of pericentromeric R-loops via its RNA:DNA helicase activity. Low levels of pericentromeric R-loops resolved by DDM1 cotranscriptionally can facilitate constitutive heterochromatin silencing. Furthermore, we demonstrate that DDM1 physically excludes histone H2A variant H2A.Z and promotes H2A.W deposition for faithful heterochromatin initiation soon after R-loop clearance. The dual functions of DDM1 in R-loop resolution and H2A.Z eviction are essential for sperm nuclei structure maintenance in mature pollen. Our work unravels the cotranscriptional R-loop resolution coupled with accurate H2A variants deposition is the primary step of constitutive heterochromatin silencing in Arabidopsis, which might be conserved across eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jincong Zhou
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xue Lei
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Sarfraz Shafiq
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Weifeng Zhang
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Qin Li
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kuan Li
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jiafu Zhu
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhicheng Dong
- School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Xin-jian He
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
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36
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Mann CWG, Sawyer A, Gardiner DM, Mitter N, Carroll BJ, Eamens AL. RNA-Based Control of Fungal Pathogens in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12391. [PMID: 37569766 PMCID: PMC10418863 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Our duty to conserve global natural ecosystems is increasingly in conflict with our need to feed an expanding population. The use of conventional pesticides not only damages the environment and vulnerable biodiversity but can also still fail to prevent crop losses of 20-40% due to pests and pathogens. There is a growing call for more ecologically sustainable pathogen control measures. RNA-based biopesticides offer an eco-friendly alternative to the use of conventional fungicides for crop protection. The genetic modification (GM) of crops remains controversial in many countries, though expression of transgenes inducing pathogen-specific RNA interference (RNAi) has been proven effective against many agronomically important fungal pathogens. The topical application of pathogen-specific RNAi-inducing sprays is a more responsive, GM-free approach to conventional RNAi transgene-based crop protection. The specific targeting of essential pathogen genes, the development of RNAi-nanoparticle carrier spray formulations, and the possible structural modifications to the RNA molecules themselves are crucial to the success of this novel technology. Here, we outline the current understanding of gene silencing pathways in plants and fungi and summarize the pioneering and recent work exploring RNA-based biopesticides for crop protection against fungal pathogens, with a focus on spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS). Further, we discuss factors that could affect the success of RNA-based control strategies, including RNA uptake, stability, amplification, and movement within and between the plant host and pathogen, as well as the cost and design of RNA pesticides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W. G. Mann
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (C.W.G.M.); (A.S.); (B.J.C.)
| | - Anne Sawyer
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (C.W.G.M.); (A.S.); (B.J.C.)
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.M.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Donald M. Gardiner
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.M.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Neena Mitter
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.M.G.); (N.M.)
| | - Bernard J. Carroll
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (C.W.G.M.); (A.S.); (B.J.C.)
| | - Andrew L. Eamens
- School of Health, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, QLD 4558, Australia
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37
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Shimada A, Cahn J, Ernst E, Lynn J, Grimanelli D, Henderson I, Kakutani T, Martienssen RA. Retrotransposon addiction promotes centromere function via epigenetically activated small RNAs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.02.551486. [PMID: 37577592 PMCID: PMC10418216 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.02.551486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Retrotransposons have invaded eukaryotic centromeres in cycles of repeat expansion and purging, but the function of centromeric retrotransposons, if any, has remained unclear. In Arabidopsis, centromeric ATHILA retrotransposons give rise to epigenetically activated short interfering RNAs (easiRNAs) in mutants in DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1), which promote histone H3 lysine-9 di-methylation (H3K9me2). Here, we show that mutants which lose both DDM1 and RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) have pleiotropic developmental defects and mis-segregation of chromosome 5 during mitosis. Fertility defects are epigenetically inherited with the centromeric region of chromosome 5, and can be rescued by directing artificial small RNAs to a single family of ATHILA5 retrotransposons specifically embedded within this centromeric region. easiRNAs and H3K9me2 promote pericentromeric condensation, chromosome cohesion and proper chromosome segregation in mitosis. Insertion of ATHILA silences transcription, while simultaneously making centromere function dependent on retrotransposon small RNAs, promoting the selfish survival and spread of centromeric retrotransposons. Parallels are made with the fission yeast S. pombe, where chromosome segregation depends on RNAi, and with humans, where chromosome segregation depends on both RNAi and HELLSDDM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Shimada
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
| | - Evan Ernst
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
| | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
| | - Daniel Grimanelli
- Epigenetic Regulations and Seed Development, UMR232, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Ian Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, Cambridge University, Cambridge UK
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Hongo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Robert A. Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
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38
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Lee SC, Adams DW, Ipsaro JJ, Cahn J, Lynn J, Kim HS, Berube B, Major V, Calarco JP, LeBlanc C, Bhattacharjee S, Ramu U, Grimanelli D, Jacob Y, Voigt P, Joshua-Tor L, Martienssen RA. Chromatin remodeling of histone H3 variants underlies epigenetic inheritance of DNA methylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.11.548598. [PMID: 37503143 PMCID: PMC10369972 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.11.548598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance refers to the faithful replication of DNA methylation and histone modification independent of DNA sequence. Nucleosomes block access to DNA methyltransferases, unless they are remodeled by DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION1 (DDM1 Lsh/HELLS ), a Snf2-like master regulator of epigenetic inheritance. We show that DDM1 activity results in replacement of the transcriptional histone variant H3.3 for the replicative variant H3.1 during the cell cycle. In ddm1 mutants, DNA methylation can be restored by loss of the H3.3 chaperone HIRA, while the H3.1 chaperone CAF-1 becomes essential. The single-particle cryo-EM structure at 3.2 Å of DDM1 with a variant nucleosome reveals direct engagement at SHL2 with histone H3.3 at or near variant residues required for assembly, as well as with the deacetylated H4 tail. An N-terminal autoinhibitory domain binds H2A variants to allow remodeling, while a disulfide bond in the helicase domain is essential for activity in vivo and in vitro . We show that differential remodeling of H3 and H2A variants in vitro reflects preferential deposition in vivo . DDM1 co-localizes with H3.1 and H3.3 during the cell cycle, and with the DNA methyltransferase MET1 Dnmt1 . DDM1 localization to the chromosome is blocked by H4K16 acetylation, which accumulates at DDM1 targets in ddm1 mutants, as does the sperm cell specific H3.3 variant MGH3 in pollen, which acts as a placeholder nucleosome in the germline and contributes to epigenetic inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung Cho Lee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Dexter W. Adams
- W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Stony Brook University; Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Ipsaro
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jonathan Cahn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Jason Lynn
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Hyun-Soo Kim
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Benjamin Berube
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences; 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Viktoria Major
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph P. Calarco
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory School of Biological Sciences; 1 Bungtown Rd, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Chantal LeBlanc
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Present address: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yale University; 260 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Sonali Bhattacharjee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Umamaheswari Ramu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Daniel Grimanelli
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement; 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Yannick Jacob
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- Present address: Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Yale University; 260 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
| | - Philipp Voigt
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh; Edinburgh EH9 3BF, United Kingdom
- Present address: Epigenetics Programme, Babraham Institute; Cambridge CB22 3AT, United Kingdom
| | - Leemor Joshua-Tor
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
- W. M. Keck Structural Biology Laboratory, Howard Hughes Medical Institute; Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Robert A. Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory; 1 Bungtown Road, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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Bakirbas A, Castro-Rodriguez R, Walker EL. The Small RNA Component of Arabidopsis thaliana Phloem Sap and Its Response to Iron Deficiency. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2782. [PMID: 37570935 PMCID: PMC10421156 DOI: 10.3390/plants12152782] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
In order to discover sRNA that might function during iron deficiency stress, RNA was prepared from phloem exudates of Arabidopsis thaliana, and used for RNA-seq. Bioanalyzer results indicate that abundant RNA from phloem is small in size-less than 200 nt. Moreover, typical rRNA bands were not observed. Sequencing of eight independent phloem RNA samples indicated that tRNA-derived fragments, specifically 5' tRFs and 5' tRNA halves, are highly abundant in phloem sap, comprising about 46% of all reads. In addition, a set of miRNAs that are present in phloem sap was defined, and several miRNAs and sRNAs were identified that are differentially expressed during iron deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmet Bakirbas
- Biology Department and Plant Biology Graduate Program, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA;
| | | | - Elsbeth L. Walker
- Biology Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
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40
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Manavella PA, Godoy Herz MA, Kornblihtt AR, Sorenson R, Sieburth LE, Nakaminami K, Seki M, Ding Y, Sun Q, Kang H, Ariel FD, Crespi M, Giudicatti AJ, Cai Q, Jin H, Feng X, Qi Y, Pikaard CS. Beyond transcription: compelling open questions in plant RNA biology. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1626-1653. [PMID: 36477566 PMCID: PMC10226580 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koac346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The study of RNAs has become one of the most influential research fields in contemporary biology and biomedicine. In the last few years, new sequencing technologies have produced an explosion of new and exciting discoveries in the field but have also given rise to many open questions. Defining these questions, together with old, long-standing gaps in our knowledge, is the spirit of this article. The breadth of topics within RNA biology research is vast, and every aspect of the biology of these molecules contains countless exciting open questions. Here, we asked 12 groups to discuss their most compelling question among some plant RNA biology topics. The following vignettes cover RNA alternative splicing; RNA dynamics; RNA translation; RNA structures; R-loops; epitranscriptomics; long non-coding RNAs; small RNA production and their functions in crops; small RNAs during gametogenesis and in cross-kingdom RNA interference; and RNA-directed DNA methylation. In each section, we will present the current state-of-the-art in plant RNA biology research before asking the questions that will surely motivate future discoveries in the field. We hope this article will spark a debate about the future perspective on RNA biology and provoke novel reflections in the reader.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo A Manavella
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Micaela A Godoy Herz
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Alberto R Kornblihtt
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular and CONICET-UBA, Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Reed Sorenson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of UtahSalt Lake City 84112, USA
| | - Leslie E Sieburth
- School of Biological Sciences, University of UtahSalt Lake City 84112, USA
| | - Kentaro Nakaminami
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Motoaki Seki
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
- Cluster for Pioneering Research, RIKEN, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Kanagawa 244-0813, Japan
| | - Yiliang Ding
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Qianwen Sun
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Hunseung Kang
- Department of Applied Biology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
| | - Federico D Ariel
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Martin Crespi
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris Saclay IPS2, CNRS, INRA, Université Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Bâtiment 630, Orsay 91405, France
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay IPS2, Université de Paris, Bâtiment 630, Orsay 91405, France
| | - Axel J Giudicatti
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe 3000, Argentina
| | - Qiang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, College of Life Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hailing Jin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology and Center for Plant Cell Biology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, California 92507, USA
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Yijun Qi
- Center for Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Craig S Pikaard
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405, USA
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41
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Chow HT, Mosher RA. Small RNA-mediated DNA methylation during plant reproduction. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1787-1800. [PMID: 36651080 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Reproductive tissues are a rich source of small RNAs, including several classes of short interfering (si)RNAs that are restricted to this stage of development. In addition to RNA polymerase IV-dependent 24-nt siRNAs that trigger canonical RNA-directed DNA methylation, abundant reproductive-specific siRNAs are produced from companion cells adjacent to the developing germ line or zygote and may move intercellularly before inducing methylation. In some cases, these siRNAs are produced via non-canonical biosynthesis mechanisms or from sequences with little similarity to transposons. While the precise role of these siRNAs and the methylation they trigger is unclear, they have been implicated in specifying a single megaspore mother cell, silencing transposons in the male germ line, mediating parental dosage conflict to ensure proper endosperm development, hypermethylation of mature embryos, and trans-chromosomal methylation in hybrids. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of reproductive siRNAs, including their biosynthesis, transport, and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiu Tung Chow
- The School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0036, USA
| | - Rebecca A Mosher
- The School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721-0036, USA
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42
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Misra CS, Sousa AGG, Barros PM, Kermanov A, Becker JD. Cell-type-specific alternative splicing in the Arabidopsis germline. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 192:85-101. [PMID: 36515615 PMCID: PMC10152659 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
During sexual reproduction in flowering plants, the two haploid sperm cells (SCs) embedded within the cytoplasm of a growing pollen tube are carried to the embryo sac for double fertilization. Pollen development in flowering plants is a dynamic process that encompasses changes at transcriptome and epigenome levels. While the transcriptome of pollen and SCs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) is well documented, previous analyses have mostly been based on gene-level expression. In-depth transcriptome analysis, particularly the extent of alternative splicing (AS) at the resolution of SC and vegetative nucleus (VN), is still lacking. Therefore, we performed RNA-seq analysis to generate a spliceome map of Arabidopsis SCs and VN isolated from mature pollen grains. Based on our de novo transcriptome assembly, we identified 58,039 transcripts, including 9,681 novel transcripts, of which 2,091 were expressed in SCs and 3,600 in VN. Four hundred and sixty-eight genes were regulated both at gene and splicing levels, with many having functions in mRNA splicing, chromatin modification, and protein localization. Moreover, a comparison with egg cell RNA-seq data uncovered sex-specific regulation of transcription and splicing factors. Our study provides insights into a gamete-specific AS landscape at unprecedented resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandra Shekhar Misra
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Pedro M Barros
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Anton Kermanov
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Jörg D Becker
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa (ITQB NOVA), 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal
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43
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Flores-Tornero M, Becker JD. 50 years of sperm cell isolations: from structural to omic studies. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023:erad117. [PMID: 37025026 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The fusion of male and female gametes is a fundamental process in the perpetuation and diversification of species. During the last 50 years, significant efforts have been made to isolate and characterize sperm cells from flowering plants, and to identify how these cells interact with female gametes to achieve double fertilization. The first techniques and analytical approaches not only provided structural and biochemical characterizations of plant sperm cells but also paved the way for in vitro fertilization studies. Further technological advances then led to unique insights into sperm biology at transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenetic level. Starting with a historical overview of sperm cell isolation techniques, we provide examples of how these contributed to create our current knowledge of sperm cell biology, and point out remaining challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Flores-Tornero
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, Oeiras, 2780-157 Portugal
| | - Jörg D Becker
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, Oeiras, 2780-157 Portugal
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44
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Zhu D, Wen Y, Yao W, Zheng H, Zhou S, Zhang Q, Qu LJ, Chen X, Wu Z. Distinct chromatin signatures in the Arabidopsis male gametophyte. Nat Genet 2023; 55:706-720. [PMID: 36864100 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01329-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic reprogramming in the germline contributes to the erasure of epigenetic inheritance across generations in mammals but remains poorly characterized in plants. Here we profiled histone modifications throughout Arabidopsis male germline development. We find that the sperm cell has widespread apparent chromatin bivalency, which is established by the acquisition of H3K27me3 or H3K4me3 at pre-existing H3K4me3 or H3K27me3 regions, respectively. These bivalent domains are associated with a distinct transcriptional status. Somatic H3K27me3 is generally reduced in sperm, while dramatic loss of H3K27me3 is observed at only ~700 developmental genes. The incorporation of the histone variant H3.10 facilitates the establishment of sperm chromatin identity without a strong impact on resetting of somatic H3K27me3. Vegetative nuclei harbor thousands of specific H3K27me3 domains at repressed genes, while pollination-related genes are highly expressed and marked by gene body H3K4me3. Our work highlights putative chromatin bivalency and restricted resetting of H3K27me3 at developmental regulators as key features in plant pluripotent sperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Wen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Wanyue Yao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haiyan Zheng
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Biological Mass Spectrometry Facility, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Sixian Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Gene Regulation and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Zhe Wu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
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45
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Feng X, Pan S, Tu H, Huang J, Xiao C, Shen X, You L, Zhao X, Chen Y, Xu D, Qu X, Hu H. IQ67 DOMAIN protein 21 is critical for indentation formation in pavement cell morphogenesis. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:721-738. [PMID: 36263896 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
In plants, cortical microtubules anchor to the plasma membrane in arrays and play important roles in cell shape. However, the molecular mechanism of microtubule binding proteins, which connect the plasma membrane and cortical microtubules in cell morphology remains largely unknown. Here, we report that a plasma membrane and microtubule dual-localized IQ67 domain protein, IQD21, is critical for cotyledon pavement cell (PC) morphogenesis in Arabidopsis. iqd21 mutation caused increased indentation width, decreased lobe length, and similar lobe number of PCs, whereas IQD21 overexpression had a different effect on cotyledon PC shape. Weak overexpression led to increased lobe number, decreased indentation width, and similar lobe length, while moderate or great overexpression resulted in decreased lobe number, indentation width, and lobe length of PCs. Live-cell observations revealed that IQD21 accumulation at indentation regions correlates with lobe initiation and outgrowth during PC development. Cell biological and genetic approaches revealed that IQD21 promotes transfacial microtubules anchoring to the plasma membrane via its polybasic sites and bundling at the indentation regions in both periclinal and anticlinal walls. IQD21 controls cortical microtubule organization mainly through promoting Katanin 1-mediated microtubule severing during PC interdigitation. These findings provide the genetic evidence that transfacial microtubule arrays play a determinant role in lobe formation, and the insight into the molecular mechanism of IQD21 in transfacial microtubule organization at indentations and puzzle-shaped PC development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinhua Feng
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shujuan Pan
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Haifu Tu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Junjie Huang
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Medical Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Chuanlei Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xin Shen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Lei You
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xinyan Zhao
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Yongqiang Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Danyun Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xiaolu Qu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (MOE), College of Horticulture and Forestry Sciences, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Honghong Hu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
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46
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Vaucheret H. Epigenetic management of self and non-self: lessons from 40 years of transgenic plants. C R Biol 2023; 345:149-174. [PMID: 36847123 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.96] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Plant varieties exhibiting unstable or variegated phenotypes, or showing virus recovery have long remained a mystery. It is only with the development of transgenic plants 40 years ago that the epigenetic features underlying these phenomena were elucidated. Indeed, the study of transgenic plants that did not express the introduced sequences revealed that transgene loci sometimes undergo transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) or post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) by activating epigenetic defenses that naturally control transposable elements, duplicated genes or viruses. Even when they do not trigger TGS or PTGS spontaneously, stably expressed transgenes driven by viral promoters set apart from endogenous genes in their epigenetic regulation. As a result, transgenes driven by viral promoters are capable of undergoing systemic PTGS throughout the plant, whereas endogenous genes can only undergo local PTGS in cells where RNA quality control is impaired. Together, these results indicate that the host genome distinguishes self from non-self at the epigenetic level, allowing PTGS to eliminate non-self, and preventing PTGS to become systemic and kill the plant when it is locally activated against deregulated self.
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47
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Fallet M, Blanc M, Di Criscio M, Antczak P, Engwall M, Guerrero Bosagna C, Rüegg J, Keiter SH. Present and future challenges for the investigation of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107776. [PMID: 36731188 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic pathways are essential in different biological processes and in phenotype-environment interactions in response to different stressors and they can induce phenotypic plasticity. They encompass several processes that are mitotically and, in some cases, meiotically heritable, so they can be transferred to subsequent generations via the germline. Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance (TEI) describes the phenomenon that phenotypic traits, such as changes in fertility, metabolic function, or behavior, induced by environmental factors (e.g., parental care, pathogens, pollutants, climate change), can be transferred to offspring generations via epigenetic mechanisms. Investigations on TEI contribute to deciphering the role of epigenetic mechanisms in adaptation, adversity, and evolution. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the transmission of epigenetic changes between generations, and the downstream chain of events leading to persistent phenotypic changes, remain unclear. Therefore, inter-, (transmission of information between parental and offspring generation via direct exposure) and transgenerational (transmission of information through several generations with disappearance of the triggering factor) consequences of epigenetic modifications remain major issues in the field of modern biology. In this article, we review and describe the major gaps and issues still encountered in the TEI field: the general challenges faced in epigenetic research; deciphering the key epigenetic mechanisms in inheritance processes; identifying the relevant drivers for TEI and implement a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to study TEI. Finally, we provide suggestions on how to overcome these challenges and ultimately be able to identify the specific contribution of epigenetics in transgenerational inheritance and use the correct tools for environmental science investigation and biomarkers identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Fallet
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden; Department of Biochemistry, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
| | - Mélanie Blanc
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, INRAE, Palavas, France
| | - Michela Di Criscio
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyv. 18A, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Philipp Antczak
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and Cologne University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Germany; Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Magnus Engwall
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | | | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyv. 18A, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Steffen H Keiter
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
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48
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Akinmusola RY, Wilkins CA, Doughty J. DDM1-Mediated TE Silencing in Plants. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:437. [PMID: 36771522 PMCID: PMC9919755 DOI: 10.3390/plants12030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are indispensable for regulating gene bodies and TE silencing. DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) is a chromatin remodeller involved in histone modifications and DNA methylation. Apart from maintaining the epigenome, DDM1 also maintains key plant traits such as flowering time and heterosis. The role of DDM1 in epigenetic regulation is best characterised in plants, especially arabidopsis, rice, maize and tomato. The epigenetic changes induced by DDM1 establish the stable inheritance of many plant traits for at least eight generations, yet DDM1 does not methylate protein-coding genes. The DDM1 TE silencing mechanism is distinct and has evolved independently of other silencing pathways. Unlike the RNA-directed DNA Methylation (RdDM) pathway, DDM1 does not depend on siRNAs to enforce the heterochromatic state of TEs. Here, we review DDM1 TE silencing activity in the RdDM and non-RdDM contexts. The DDM1 TE silencing machinery is strongly associated with the histone linker H1 and histone H2A.W. While the linker histone H1 excludes the RdDM factors from methylating the heterochromatin, the histone H2A.W variant prevents TE mobility. The DDM1-H2A.W strategy alone silences nearly all the mobile TEs in the arabidopsis genome. Thus, the DDM1-directed TE silencing essentially preserves heterochromatic features and abolishes mobile threats to genome stability.
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49
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Li T, Yin L, Stoll CE, Lisch D, Zhao M. Conserved noncoding sequences and de novo Mutator insertion alleles are imprinted in maize. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:299-316. [PMID: 36173333 PMCID: PMC9806621 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon in which differential allele expression occurs in a parent-of-origin-dependent manner. Imprinting in plants is tightly linked to transposable elements (TEs), and it has been hypothesized that genomic imprinting may be a consequence of demethylation of TEs. Here, we performed high-throughput sequencing of ribonucleic acids from four maize (Zea mays) endosperms that segregated newly silenced Mutator (Mu) transposons and identified 110 paternally expressed imprinted genes (PEGs) and 139 maternally expressed imprinted genes (MEGs). Additionally, two potentially novel paternally suppressed MEGs are associated with de novo Mu insertions. In addition, we find evidence for parent-of-origin effects on expression of 407 conserved noncoding sequences (CNSs) in maize endosperm. The imprinted CNSs are largely localized within genic regions and near genes, but the imprinting status of the CNSs are largely independent of their associated genes. Both imprinted CNSs and PEGs have been subject to relaxed selection. However, our data suggest that although MEGs were already subject to a higher mutation rate prior to their being imprinted, imprinting may be the cause of the relaxed selection of PEGs. In addition, although DNA methylation is lower in the maternal alleles of both the maternally and paternally expressed CNSs (mat and pat CNSs), the difference between the two alleles in H3K27me3 levels was only observed in pat CNSs. Together, our findings point to the importance of both transposons and CNSs in genomic imprinting in maize.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Li
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, National Maize Improvement Center, Department of Plant Genetics and Breeding, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, P.R. China
| | - Liangwei Yin
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA
| | - Claire E Stoll
- Department of Biology, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA
| | - Damon Lisch
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA
| | - Meixia Zhao
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA
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50
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Rothi MH, Greer EL. From correlation to causation: The new frontier of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Bioessays 2023; 45:e2200118. [PMID: 36351255 PMCID: PMC9772138 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
While heredity is predominantly controlled by what deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequences are passed from parents to their offspring, a small but growing number of traits have been shown to be regulated in part by the non-genetic inheritance of information. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance is defined as heritable information passed from parents to their offspring without changing the DNA sequence. Work of the past seven decades has transitioned what was previously viewed as rare phenomenology, into well-established paradigms by which numerous traits can be modulated. For the most part, studies in model organisms have correlated transgenerational epigenetic inheritance phenotypes with changes in epigenetic modifications. The next steps for this field will entail transitioning from correlative studies to causal ones. Here, we delineate the major molecules that have been implicated in transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in both mammalian and non-mammalian models, speculate on additional molecules that could be involved, and highlight some of the tools which might help transition this field from correlation to causation.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Hafiz Rothi
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
| | - Eric Lieberman Greer
- Department of Pediatrics, HMS Initiative for RNA Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA
- Division of Newborn Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston MA, USA
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