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Khouider S, Gehring M. Parental dialectic: Epigenetic conversations in endosperm. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 81:102591. [PMID: 38944896 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Endosperm is a major evolutionary innovation of flowering plants, and its proper development critically impacts seed growth and viability. Epigenetic regulators have a key function in parental control of endosperm development. Notably, epigenetic regulation of parental genome dosage is a major determinant of seed development success, and disruption of this balance can produce inviable seed, as observed in some interploidy and interspecific crosses. These postzygotic reproduction barriers are also a potent driver of speciation. The molecular machinery and regulatory architecture governing endosperm development is proposed to have evolved under parental conflict. In this review, we emphasize parental conflict as a dialectic conflict and discuss recent findings about the epigenetic molecular machinery that mediates parental conflict in the endosperm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souraya Khouider
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge MA 02142, USA
| | - Mary Gehring
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge MA 02142, USA; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge MA 02139, USA.
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2
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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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3
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Boissinot J, Adamek K, Jones AMP, Normandeau E, Boyle B, Torkamaneh D. Comparative restriction enzyme analysis of methylation (CREAM) reveals methylome variability within a clonal in vitro cannabis population. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1381154. [PMID: 38872884 PMCID: PMC11169872 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1381154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The primary focus of medicinal cannabis research is to ensure the stability of cannabis lines for consistent administration of chemically uniform products to patients. In recent years, tissue culture has emerged as a valuable technique for genetic preservation and rapid multiplication of cannabis clones. However, there is concern that the physical and chemical conditions of the growing media can induce somaclonal variation, potentially impacting the viability and uniformity of clones. To address this concern, we developed Comparative Restriction Enzyme Analysis of Methylation (CREAM), a novel method to assess DNA methylation patterns and used it to study a population of 78 cannabis clones maintained in tissue culture. Through bioinformatics analysis of the methylome, we successfully detected 2,272 polymorphic methylated regions among the clones. Remarkably, our results demonstrated that DNA methylation patterns were preserved across subcultures within the clonal population, allowing us to distinguish between two subsets of clonal lines used in this study. These findings significantly contribute to our understanding of the epigenetic variability within clonal lines in medicinal cannabis produced through tissue culture techniques. This knowledge is crucial for understanding the effects of tissue culture on DNA methylation and ensuring the consistency and reliability of medicinal cannabis products with therapeutic properties. Additionally, the CREAM method is a fast and affordable technology to get a first glimpse at methylation in a biological system. It offers a valuable tool for studying epigenetic variation in other plant species, thereby facilitating broader applications in plant biotechnology and crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Boissinot
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche et d’innovation sur les végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut intelligence et données (IID), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Kristian Adamek
- Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | | | - Eric Normandeau
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Brian Boyle
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Davoud Torkamaneh
- Département de phytologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Centre de recherche et d’innovation sur les végétaux (CRIV), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Institut intelligence et données (IID), Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
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Kumar S, Singh A, Bist CMS, Sharma M. Advancements in genetic techniques and functional genomics for enhancing crop traits and agricultural sustainability. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elae017. [PMID: 38679487 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae017] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic variability is essential for the development of new crop varieties with economically beneficial traits. The traits can be inherited from wild relatives or induced through mutagenesis. Novel genetic elements can then be identified and new gene functions can be predicted. In this study, forward and reverse genetics approaches were described, in addition to their applications in modern crop improvement programs and functional genomics. By using heritable phenotypes and linked genetic markers, forward genetics searches for genes by using traditional genetic mapping and allele frequency estimation. Despite recent advances in sequencing technology, omics and computation, genetic redundancy remains a major challenge in forward genetics. By analyzing close-related genes, we will be able to dissect their functional redundancy and predict possible traits and gene activity patterns. In addition to these predictions, sophisticated reverse gene editing tools can be used to verify them, including TILLING, targeted insertional mutagenesis, gene silencing, gene targeting and genome editing. By using gene knock-down, knock-up and knock-out strategies, these tools are able to detect genetic changes in cells. In addition, epigenome analysis and editing enable the development of novel traits in existing crop cultivars without affecting their genetic makeup by increasing epiallelic variants. Our understanding of gene functions and molecular dynamics of various biological phenomena has been revised by all of these findings. The study also identifies novel genetic targets in crop species to improve yields and stress tolerances through conventional and non-conventional methods. In this article, genetic techniques and functional genomics are specifically discussed and assessed for their potential in crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surender Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Horticulture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Anupama Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Horticulture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Chander Mohan Singh Bist
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171001, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Munish Sharma
- Department of Plant Sciences, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala-176215, Himachal Pradesh, India
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5
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Li X, Zhu B, Lu Y, Zhao F, Liu Q, Wang J, Ye M, Chen S, Nie J, Xiong L, Zhao Y, Wu C, Zhou DX. DNA methylation remodeling and the functional implication during male gametogenesis in rice. Genome Biol 2024; 25:84. [PMID: 38566207 PMCID: PMC10985897 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03222-w] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic marks are reprogrammed during sexual reproduction. In flowering plants, DNA methylation is only partially remodeled in the gametes and the zygote. However, the timing and functional significance of the remodeling during plant gametogenesis remain obscure. RESULTS Here we show that DNA methylation remodeling starts after male meiosis in rice, with non-CG methylation, particularly at CHG sites, being first enhanced in the microspore and subsequently decreased in sperm. Functional analysis of rice CHG methyltransferase genes CMT3a and CMT3b indicates that CMT3a functions as the major CHG methyltransferase in rice meiocyte, while CMT3b is responsible for the increase of CHG methylation in microspore. The function of the two histone demethylases JMJ706 and JMJ707 that remove H3K9me2 may contribute to the decreased CHG methylation in sperm. During male gametogenesis CMT3a mainly silences TE and TE-related genes while CMT3b is required for repression of genes encoding factors involved in transcriptional and translational activities. In addition, CMT3b functions to repress zygotic gene expression in egg and participates in establishing the zygotic epigenome upon fertilization. CONCLUSION Collectively, the results indicate that DNA methylation is dynamically remodeled during male gametogenesis, distinguish the function of CMT3a and CMT3b in sex cells, and underpin the functional significance of DNA methylation remodeling during rice reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Bo Zhu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yue Lu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Agriculture, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Feng Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Qian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jiahao Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Miaomiao Ye
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Siyuan Chen
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Junwei Nie
- Vazyme Biotech Co., Ltd, Nanjing, 210000, China
| | - Lizhong Xiong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Changyin Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Dao-Xiu Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Institute of Plant Science Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRAE, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France.
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6
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Roelfs KU, Känel A, Twyman RM, Prüfer D, Schulze Gronover C. Epigenetic variation in early and late flowering plants of the rubber-producing Russian dandelion Taraxacum koksaghyz provides insights into the regulation of flowering time. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4283. [PMID: 38383610 PMCID: PMC10881582 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54862-8] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The Russian dandelion (Taraxacum koksaghyz) grows in temperate zones and produces large amounts of poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) in its roots, making it an attractive alternative source of natural rubber. Most T. koksaghyz plants require vernalization to trigger flower development, whereas early flowering varieties that have lost their vernalization dependence are more suitable for breeding and domestication. To provide insight into the regulation of flowering time in T. koksaghyz, we induced epigenetic variation by in vitro cultivation and applied epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis to the resulting early flowering plants and late flowering controls, allowing us to identify differences in methylation patterns and gene expression that correlated with flowering. This led to the identification of candidate genes homologous to vernalization and photoperiodism response genes in other plants, as well as epigenetic modifications that may contribute to the control of flower development. Some of the candidate genes were homologous to known floral regulators, including those that directly or indirectly regulate the major flowering control gene FT. Our atlas of genes can be used as a starting point to investigate mechanisms that control flowering time in T. koksaghyz in greater detail and to develop new breeding varieties that are more suited to domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Uwe Roelfs
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Känel
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48143, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Prüfer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48143, Münster, Germany
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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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Liu Q, Ma X, Li X, Zhang X, Zhou S, Xiong L, Zhao Y, Zhou DX. Paternal DNA methylation is remodeled to maternal levels in rice zygote. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6571. [PMID: 37852973 PMCID: PMC10584822 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42394-0] [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: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic reprogramming occurs during reproduction to reset the genome for early development. In flowering plants, mechanistic details of parental methylation remodeling in zygote remain elusive. Here we analyze allele-specific DNA methylation in rice hybrid zygotes and during early embryo development and show that paternal DNA methylation is predominantly remodeled to match maternal allelic levels upon fertilization, which persists after the first zygotic division. The DNA methylation remodeling pattern supports the predominantly maternal-biased gene expression during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) in rice. However, parental allelic-specific methylations are reestablished at the globular embryo stage and associate with allelic-specific histone modification patterns in hybrids. These results reveal that paternal DNA methylation is remodeled to match the maternal pattern during zygotic genome reprogramming and suggest existence of a chromatin memory allowing parental allelic-specific methylation to be maintained in the hybrid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xuan Ma
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xue Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Xinran Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shaoli Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Lizhong Xiong
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
| | - Dao-Xiu Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
- Institute of Plant Science Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRAE, University Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay, France.
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9
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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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10
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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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11
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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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12
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Effect of Explant Source on Phenotypic Changes of In Vitro Grown Cannabis Plantlets over Multiple Subcultures. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12030443. [PMID: 36979133 PMCID: PMC10044989 DOI: 10.3390/biology12030443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
Drug-type cannabis is often multiplied using micropropagation methods to produce genetically uniform and disease/insect-free crops. However, micropropagated plantlets often exhibit phenotypic variation, leading to culture decline over time. In cannabis, the source of these changes remains unknown, though several factors (e.g., explant’s sources and prolonged in vitro culture) can result in such phenotypical variations. The study presented herein evaluates the effects of explant sources (i.e., nodal segments derived from the basal, near-basal, middle, and apical parts of the greenhouse-grown mother plant) over multiple subcultures (4 subcultures during 235 days) on multiplication parameters and leaf morphological traits of in vitro cannabis plantlets. While initial in vitro responses were similar among explants sourced from different regions of the plant, there were significant differences in performance over the course of multiple subcultures. Specifically, explant source and/or the number of subcultures significantly impacted plantlet height, number of nodes, and canopy surface area. The explants derived from the basal and near-basal parts of the plant resulted in the tallest shoots with the greatest number of nodes, while the explants derived from the middle and apical regions led to shorter shoots with fewer nodes. Moreover, the basal-derived explants produced cannabis plantlets with shorter but wider leaves which demonstrated the potential of such explants for in vitro rejuvenation practices with minimal culture decline. This study provides new evidence into the long-term impacts of explant source in cannabis micropropagation.
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13
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Ibañez VN, Quadrana L. Shaping inheritance: how distinct reproductive strategies influence DNA methylation memory in plants. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 78:102018. [PMID: 36525825 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2022.102018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a major epigenetic mark involved in the silencing of genes and transposable elements (TEs). DNA methylation varies significantly across the plant life cycle, but is efficiently reinforced during reproduction, ensuring stable silencing of TEs. Plants are remarkably flexible in their mode of reproduction and numerous species, including crops, can propagate asexually, skipping one or more of these critical reinforcement steps. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the characterization of DNA methylation inheritance in sexual and asexual plants. We argue that because most epigenetic reinforcement appears to occur during seed formation, methylomes of asexual seeds should resemble that of their sexual counterparts. Conversely, clonally propagated plants are expected to be hypomethylated and undergo frequent stochastic epigenetic changes. Last, we provide insights on how the use of nonmodel organisms will advance our understanding of epigenetic inheritance in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Noé Ibañez
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Université Paris Diderot, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France. https://twitter.com/veronik_noe
| | - Leandro Quadrana
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Université Paris Diderot, 91190 Gif sur Yvette, France.
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14
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Varotto S, Krugman T, Aiese Cigliano R, Kashkush K, Kondić-Špika A, Aravanopoulos FA, Pradillo M, Consiglio F, Aversano R, Pecinka A, Miladinović D. Exploitation of epigenetic variation of crop wild relatives for crop improvement and agrobiodiversity preservation. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:3987-4003. [PMID: 35678824 PMCID: PMC9729329 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-022-04122-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Crop wild relatives (CWRs) are recognized as the best potential source of traits for crop improvement. However, successful crop improvement using CWR relies on identifying variation in genes controlling desired traits in plant germplasms and subsequently incorporating them into cultivars. Epigenetic diversity may provide an additional layer of variation within CWR and can contribute novel epialleles for key traits for crop improvement. There is emerging evidence that epigenetic variants of functional and/or agronomic importance exist in CWR gene pools. This provides a rationale for the conservation of epigenotypes of interest, thus contributing to agrobiodiversity preservation through conservation and (epi)genetic monitoring. Concepts and techniques of classical and modern breeding should consider integrating recent progress in epigenetics, initially by identifying their association with phenotypic variations and then by assessing their heritability and stability in subsequent generations. New tools available for epigenomic analysis offer the opportunity to capture epigenetic variation and integrate it into advanced (epi)breeding programmes. Advances in -omics have provided new insights into the sources and inheritance of epigenetic variation and enabled the efficient introduction of epi-traits from CWR into crops using epigenetic molecular markers, such as epiQTLs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Varotto
- Department of Agronomy Animal Food Natural Resources and Environment, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università, 16 35020, Legnaro, Italy.
| | - Tamar Krugman
- Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Abba Khoushy Ave 199, 3498838, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Khalil Kashkush
- Department of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University, Beersheba, 84105, Israel
| | - Ankica Kondić-Špika
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Fillipos A Aravanopoulos
- Faculty of Agriculture, Forest Science & Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GR54006, Greece
| | - Monica Pradillo
- Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federica Consiglio
- Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, National Research Council (CNR), Via Università 133, 80055, Portici, Italy
| | - Riccardo Aversano
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Università 100, 80055, Portici, Italy
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Acad Sci, Šlechtitelů 31, 779 00, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Dragana Miladinović
- Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000, Novi Sad, Serbia
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15
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Aflaki F, Gutzat R, Mozgová I. Chromatin during plant regeneration: Opening towards root identity? CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 69:102265. [PMID: 35988353 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants show exceptional developmental plasticity and the ability to reprogram cell identities during regeneration. Although regeneration has been used in plant propagation for decades, we only recently gained detailed cellular and molecular insights into this process. Evidently, not all cell types have the same regeneration potential, and only a subset of regeneration-competent cells reach pluripotency. Pluripotent cells exhibit transcriptional similarity to root stem cells. In different plant regeneration systems, transcriptional reprogramming involves transient release of chromatin repression during pluripotency establishment and its restoration during organ or embryo differentiation. Incomplete resetting of the epigenome leads to somaclonal variation in regenerated plants. As single-cell technologies advance, we expect novel, exciting insights into epigenome dynamics during the establishment of pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatemeh Aflaki
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ruben Gutzat
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, 1030, Austria
| | - Iva Mozgová
- Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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16
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Conditional GWAS of non-CG transposon methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals major polymorphisms in five genes. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010345. [PMID: 36084135 PMCID: PMC9491579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that the striking natural variation for DNA CHH-methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) of transposons has oligogenic architecture involving major alleles at a handful of known methylation regulators. Here we use a conditional GWAS approach to show that CHG-methylation (mCHG) has a similar genetic architecture—once mCHH is statistically controlled for. We identify five key trans-regulators that appear to modulate mCHG levels, and show that they interact with a previously identified modifier of mCHH in regulating natural transposon mobilization. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark common across eukaryotes. It is associated with transcriptional silencing, in particular of transposable elements. Multiple elements, including epigenetic inheritance, shape DNA methylation patterns, and the complexity makes it challenging to dissect the regulation. Our work on the 1001 Arabidopsis Epigenomes project led to the unexpected discovery that much of the natural variation for CHH methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) on transposable elements could be attributed to allelic variation in three genes known to be involved in epigenetic regulation. However, our analysis of methylation in other sequence contexts (mCHG and mCG) revealed no genetic regulator. Here we show that if mCHG variation is analyzed while taking mCHH into account, mCHG is also strongly influenced by allelic variation in a small number of genes with known or highly plausible direct roles in epigenetic regulation. The presence of common allelic variation of large effect is suggestive of some form of local adaptation. The nature of this adaptation remains obscure, but we present further evidence that allelic variation regulating DNA methylation influences transposon mobilization.
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17
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Fukai E, Yoshikawa M, Shah N, Sandal N, Miyao A, Ono S, Hirakawa H, Akyol TY, Umehara Y, Nonomura KI, Stougaard J, Hirochika H, Hayashi M, Sato S, Andersen SU, Okazaki K. Widespread and transgenerational retrotransposon activation in inter- and intraspecies recombinant inbred populations of Lotus japonicus. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 111:1397-1410. [PMID: 35792830 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) constitute a large proportion of genomes of multicellular eukaryotes, including flowering plants. TEs are normally maintained in a silenced state and their transpositions rarely occur. Hybridization between distant species has been regarded as a 'shock' that stimulates genome reorganization, including TE mobilization. However, whether crosses between genetically close parents that result in viable and fertile offspring can induce TE transpositions has remained unclear. Here, we investigated the activation of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in three Lotus japonicus recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations. We found that at least six LTR retrotransposon families were activated and transposed in 78% of the RILs investigated. LORE1a, one of the transposed LTR retrotransposons, showed transgenerational epigenetic activation, indicating the long-term effects of epigenetic instability induced by hybridization. Our study highlights TE activation as an unexpectedly common event in plant reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eigo Fukai
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Ikarashi-ninocho, 950-2181, Niigata, Japan
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2, Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
- Plant Cytogenetics, Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0818, Japan
| | - Manabu Yoshikawa
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2, Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Niraj Shah
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Niels Sandal
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Akio Miyao
- Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 2-1-2, Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8518, Japan
| | - Seijiro Ono
- Plant Cytogenetics, Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, 1111 Yata, Mishima, Shizuoka, 411-8540, Japan
| | - Hideki Hirakawa
- Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0818, Japan
| | - Turgut Yigit Akyol
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yosuke Umehara
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2, Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Ken-Ichi Nonomura
- Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0818, Japan
| | - Jens Stougaard
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Hirohiko Hirochika
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2, Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
| | - Makoto Hayashi
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 1-2, Oowashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8634, Japan
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Shusei Sato
- Department of Technology Development, Kazusa DNA Research Institute, Kisarazu, Chiba, 292-0818, Japan
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 980-8577, Japan
| | | | - Keiichi Okazaki
- Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Ikarashi-ninocho, 950-2181, Niigata, Japan
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18
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To TK, Kakutani T. Crosstalk among pathways to generate DNA methylome. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 68:102248. [PMID: 35724481 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2022.102248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine is methylated in both CpG and non-CpG contexts (mCG and mCH, respectively) in plant genomes. Although mCG and mCH are almost independent in regard to their "maintenance," recent studies uncovered crosstalk between them during their "establishment," which unexpectedly functions in both RNAi-dependent and -independent pathways. In addition, the importance of linker histone H1 and variants of histone H2A to DNA methylation dynamics is starting to be understood. We summarize these new aspects of mechanisms to generate DNA methylomes and discuss future prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taiko Kim To
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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19
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Chen L, Zhu Y, Ren X, Yao D, Song Y, Fan S, Li X, Zhang Z, Yang S, Zhang J, Zhang J. Heterosis and Differential DNA Methylation in Soybean Hybrids and Their Parental Lines. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:plants11091136. [PMID: 35567137 PMCID: PMC9102035 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Heterosis is an important biological phenomenon and is widely applied to increase agricultural productivity. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of heterosis are still unclear. Here we constructed three combinations of reciprocal hybrids of soybean, and subsequently used MethylRAD-seq to detect CCGG and CCWGG (W = A or T) methylation in the whole genome of these hybrids and their parents at the middle development period of contemporary seed. We were able to prove that changes in DNA methylation patterns occurred in immature hybrid seeds and the parental variation was to some degree responsible for differential expression between the reciprocal hybrids. Non-additive differential methylation sites (DMSs) were also identified in large numbers in hybrids. Interestingly, most of these DMSs were hyper-methylated and were more concentrated in gene regions than the natural distribution of the methylated sites. Further analysis of the non-additive DMSs located in gene regions exhibited their participation in various biological processes, especially those related to transcriptional regulation and hormonal function. These results revealed DNA methylation reprogramming pattern in the hybrid soybean, which is associated with phenotypic variation and heterosis initiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liangyu Chen
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Yanyu Zhu
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xiaobo Ren
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Dan Yao
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China;
| | - Yang Song
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Sujie Fan
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xueying Li
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhuo Zhang
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Songnan Yang
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Jian Zhang
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
- National Crop Variety Approval and Characteristic Identification Station, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
- Department Biology, University of British Columbia, Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7, Canada
| | - Jun Zhang
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China; (L.C.); (Y.Z.); (X.R.); (Y.S.); (S.F.); (X.L.); (Z.Z.)
- National Crop Variety Approval and Characteristic Identification Station, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
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20
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Miryeganeh M, Marlétaz F, Gavriouchkina D, Saze H. De novo genome assembly and in natura epigenomics reveal salinity-induced DNA methylation in the mangrove tree Bruguiera gymnorhiza. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:2094-2110. [PMID: 34532854 PMCID: PMC9293310 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Mangroves are adapted to harsh environments, such as high ultraviolet (UV) light, low nutrition, and fluctuating salinity in coastal zones. However, little is known about the transcriptomic and epigenomic basis of the resilience of mangroves due to limited available genome resources. We performed a de novo genome assembly and in natura epigenome analyses of the mangrove Bruguiera gymnorhiza, one of the dominant mangrove species. We also performed the first genome-guided transcriptome assembly for mangrove species. The 309 Mb of the genome is predicted to encode 34 403 genes and has a repeat content of 48%. Depending on its growing environment, the natural B. gymnorhiza population showed drastic morphological changes associated with expression changes in thousands of genes. Moreover, high-salinity environments induced genome-wide DNA hypermethylation of transposable elements (TEs) in the B. gymnorhiza. DNA hypermethylation was concurrent with the transcriptional regulation of chromatin modifier genes, suggesting robust epigenome regulation of TEs in the B. gymnorhiza genome under high-salinity environments. The genome and epigenome data in this study provide novel insights into the epigenome regulation of mangroves and a better understanding of the adaptation of plants to fluctuating, harsh natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Miryeganeh
- Plant Epigenetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOkinawa904‐0495Japan
| | - Ferdinand Marlétaz
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment (GEE)University College LondonDarwin Building, Gower StreetLondonWC1E 6BTUK
| | - Daria Gavriouchkina
- Molecular Genetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOkinawa904‐0495Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Saze
- Plant Epigenetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate UniversityOkinawa904‐0495Japan
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21
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Malik S, Zhao D. Epigenetic Regulation of Heat Stress in Plant Male Reproduction. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:826473. [PMID: 35222484 PMCID: PMC8866763 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.826473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
In flowering plants, male reproductive development is highly susceptible to heat stress. In this mini-review, we summarized different anomalies in tapetum, microspores, and pollen grains during anther development under heat stress. We then discussed how epigenetic control, particularly DNA methylation, is employed to cope with heat stress in male reproduction. Further understanding of epigenetic mechanisms by which plants manage heat stress during male reproduction will provide new genetic engineering and molecular breeding tools for generating heat-resistant crops.
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22
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Sablowski R, Gutierrez C. Cycling in a crowd: Coordination of plant cell division, growth, and cell fate. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:193-208. [PMID: 34498091 PMCID: PMC8774096 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
The reiterative organogenesis that drives plant growth relies on the constant production of new cells, which remain encased by interconnected cell walls. For these reasons, plant morphogenesis strictly depends on the rate and orientation of both cell division and cell growth. Important progress has been made in recent years in understanding how cell cycle progression and the orientation of cell divisions are coordinated with cell and organ growth and with the acquisition of specialized cell fates. We review basic concepts and players in plant cell cycle and division, and then focus on their links to growth-related cues, such as metabolic state, cell size, cell geometry, and cell mechanics, and on how cell cycle progression and cell division are linked to specific cell fates. The retinoblastoma pathway has emerged as a major player in the coordination of the cell cycle with both growth and cell identity, while microtubule dynamics are central in the coordination of oriented cell divisions. Future challenges include clarifying feedbacks between growth and cell cycle progression, revealing the molecular basis of cell division orientation in response to mechanical and chemical signals, and probing the links between cell fate changes and chromatin dynamics during the cell cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Crisanto Gutierrez
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, CSIC-UAM, Nicolas Cabrera 1, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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23
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Zhang Y, Jang H, Xiao R, Kakoulidou I, Piecyk RS, Johannes F, Schmitz RJ. Heterochromatin is a quantitative trait associated with spontaneous epiallele formation. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6958. [PMID: 34845222 PMCID: PMC8630088 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27320-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Epialleles are meiotically heritable variations in expression states that are independent from changes in DNA sequence. Although they are common in plant genomes, their molecular origins are unknown. Here we show, using mutant and experimental populations, that epialleles in Arabidopsis thaliana that result from ectopic hypermethylation are due to feedback regulation of pathways that primarily function to maintain DNA methylation at heterochromatin. Perturbations to maintenance of heterochromatin methylation leads to feedback regulation of DNA methylation in genes. Using single base resolution methylomes from epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRIL), we show that epiallelic variation is abundant in euchromatin, yet, associates with QTL primarily in heterochromatin regions. Mapping three-dimensional chromatin contacts shows that genes that are hotspots for ectopic hypermethylation have increases in contact frequencies with regions possessing H3K9me2. Altogether, these data show that feedback regulation of pathways that have evolved to maintain heterochromatin silencing leads to the origins of spontaneous hypermethylated epialleles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinwen Zhang
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Hosung Jang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Rui Xiao
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Ioanna Kakoulidou
- Department of Plant Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Robert S Piecyk
- Department of Plant Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Frank Johannes
- Department of Plant Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
- Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
| | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.
- Institute for Advanced Study (IAS), Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany.
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24
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Regulation of retrotransposition in Arabidopsis. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2241-2251. [PMID: 34495315 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Plant genomes are largely comprised of retrotransposons which can replicate through 'copy and paste' mechanisms. Long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons are the major class of retrotransposons in plant species, and importantly they broadly affect the expression of nearby genes. Although most LTR retrotransposons are non-functional, active retrotranspositions have been reported in plant species or mutants under normal growth condition and environmental stresses. With the well-defined reference genome and numerous mutant alleles, Arabidopsis studies have significantly expanded our understanding of retrotransposon regulation. Active LTR retrotransposon loci produce virus-like particles to perform reverse transcription, and their complementary DNA can be inserted into new genomic loci. Due to the detrimental consequences of retrotransposition, plants like animals, have developed transcriptional and post-transcriptional silencing mechanisms. Recently several different genome-wide techniques have been developed to understand LTR retrotransposition in Arabidopsis and different plant species. Transposome, methylome, transcriptome, translatome and small RNA sequencing data have revealed how host silencing mechanisms can affect multiple steps of retrotransposition. These recent advances shed light on future mechanistic studies of retrotransposition as well as retrotransposon diversity.
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25
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Zhou S, Li X, Liu Q, Zhao Y, Jiang W, Wu A, Zhou DX. DNA demethylases remodel DNA methylation in rice gametes and zygote and are required for reproduction. MOLECULAR PLANT 2021; 14:1569-1583. [PMID: 34116223 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2021.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Fertilization constitutes a critical step in the plant life cycle during which the gamete genomes undergo chromatin dynamics in preparation for embryogenesis. In mammals, parental chromatin is extensively reprogrammed through the global erasure of DNA methylation. However, in flowering plants it remains unclear whether and how DNA methylation is remodeled in gametes and after fertilization in the zygote. In this study, we characterize DNA methylation patterns and investigate the function of DNA glycosylases in rice eggs, sperm, and unicellular zygotes and during embryogenesis. We found that DNA methylation is locally reconfigured after fertilization and is intensified during embryogenesis. Genetic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic analysis revealed that three rice DNA glycosylases, DNG702, DNG701, and DNG704, demethylate DNA at distinct genomic regions in the gametes and the zygote, and are required for zygotic gene expression and development. Collectively, these results indicate that active DNA demethylation takes place in the gametes and the zygote to locally remodel DNA methylation, which is critical for egg and zygote gene expression and reproduction in rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoli Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Xue Li
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Qian Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Anqi Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
| | - Dao-Xiu Zhou
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China; Institute of Plant Science Paris-Saclay (IPS2), CNRS, INRAE, University Paris-Saclay, 91405 Orsay, France.
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26
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Papareddy RK, Nodine MD. Plant Epigenetics: Propelling DNA Methylation Variation across the Cell Cycle. Curr Biol 2021; 31:R129-R131. [PMID: 33561411 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.11.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is reconfigured during male reproduction in plants, but little is known regarding the mechanisms controlling these epigenetic dynamics. New research highlights how the cell cycle can influence DNA methylation dynamics observed during male gametogenesis and may induce epigenetic variation in clonally propagated plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjith K Papareddy
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Michael D Nodine
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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27
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Yao N, Schmitz RJ, Johannes F. Epimutations Define a Fast-Ticking Molecular Clock in Plants. Trends Genet 2021; 37:699-710. [PMID: 34016450 PMCID: PMC8282728 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 04/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Stochastic gains and losses of DNA methylation at CG dinucleotides are a frequent occurrence in plants. These spontaneous 'epimutations' occur at a rate that is 100 000 times higher than the genetic mutation rate, are effectively neutral at the genome-wide scale, and are stably inherited across mitotic and meiotic cell divisions. Mathematical models have been extraordinarily successful at describing how epimutations accumulate in plant genomes over time, making this process one of the most predictable epigenetic phenomena to date. Here, we propose that their high rate and effective neutrality make epimutations a powerful new molecular clock for timing evolutionary events of the recent past and for age dating of long-lived perennials such as trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan Yao
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA; Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Frank Johannes
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany; Population Epigenetics and Epigenomics, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.
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28
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Papareddy RK, Páldi K, Smolka AD, Hüther P, Becker C, Nodine MD. Repression of CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 prevents epigenetic collateral damage in Arabidopsis. eLife 2021; 10:e69396. [PMID: 34296996 PMCID: PMC8352596 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation has evolved to silence mutagenic transposable elements (TEs) while typically avoiding the targeting of endogenous genes. Mechanisms that prevent DNA methyltransferases from ectopically methylating genes are expected to be of prime importance during periods of dynamic cell cycle activities including plant embryogenesis. However, virtually nothing is known regarding how DNA methyltransferase activities are precisely regulated during embryogenesis to prevent the induction of potentially deleterious and mitotically stable genic epimutations. Here, we report that microRNA-mediated repression of CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 (CMT3) and the chromatin features that CMT3 prefers help prevent ectopic methylation of thousands of genes during embryogenesis that can persist for weeks afterwards. Our results are also consistent with CMT3-induced ectopic methylation of promoters or bodies of genes undergoing transcriptional activation reducing their expression. Therefore, the repression of CMT3 prevents epigenetic collateral damage on endogenous genes. We also provide a model that may help reconcile conflicting viewpoints regarding the functions of gene-body methylation that occurs in nearly all flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjith K Papareddy
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Katalin Páldi
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Anna D Smolka
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Patrick Hüther
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Genetics, LMU Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians UniversityMartinsriedGermany
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Genetics, LMU Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians UniversityMartinsriedGermany
| | - Michael D Nodine
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen UniversityWageningenNetherlands
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29
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Tanurdžić M. Profiling the endosperm, one nucleus at a time. NATURE PLANTS 2021; 7:710-711. [PMID: 34059806 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-021-00945-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Miloš Tanurdžić
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.
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30
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Baduel P, Colot V. The epiallelic potential of transposable elements and its evolutionary significance in plants. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200123. [PMID: 33866816 PMCID: PMC8059525 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA provides the fundamental framework for heritability, yet heritable trait variation need not be completely ‘hard-wired’ into the DNA sequence. In plants, the epigenetic machinery that controls transposable element (TE) activity, and which includes DNA methylation, underpins most known cases of inherited trait variants that are independent of DNA sequence changes. Here, we review our current knowledge of the extent, mechanisms and potential adaptive contribution of epiallelic variation at TE-containing alleles in this group of species. For the purpose of this review, we focus mainly on DNA methylation, as it provides an easily quantifiable readout of such variation. The picture that emerges is complex. On the one hand, pronounced differences in DNA methylation at TE sequences can either occur spontaneously or be induced experimentally en masse across the genome through genetic means. Many of these epivariants are stably inherited over multiple sexual generations, thus leading to transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Functional consequences can be significant, yet they are typically of limited magnitude and although the same epivariants can be found in nature, the factors involved in their generation in this setting remain to be determined. On the other hand, moderate DNA methylation variation at TE-containing alleles can be reproducibly induced by the environment, again usually with mild effects, and most of this variation tends to be lost across generations. Based on these considerations, we argue that TE-containing alleles, rather than their inherited epiallelic variants, are the main targets of natural selection. Thus, we propose that the adaptive contribution of TE-associated epivariation, whether stable or not, lies predominantly in its capacity to modulate TE mobilization in response to the environment, hence providing hard-wired opportunities for the flexible exploration of the phenotypic space. This article is part of the theme issue ‘How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?’
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Vincent Colot
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, 75005 Paris, France
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