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Chen Y, Burian A, Johannes F. Somatic epigenetic drift during shoot branching: a cell lineage-based model. Genetics 2024; 227:iyae091. [PMID: 38809088 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyae091] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant architecture is shaped by the production of new organs, most of which emerge postembryonically. This process includes the formation of new lateral branches along existing shoots. Current evidence supports a detached-meristem model as the cellular basis of lateral shoot initiation. In this model, a small number of undifferentiated cells are sampled from the periphery of the shoot apical meristem (SAM) to act as precursors for axillary buds, which eventually develop into new shoots. Repeated branching thus creates cellular bottlenecks (i.e. somatic drift) that affect how de novo (epi)genetic mutations propagate through the plant body during development. Somatic drift could be particularly relevant for stochastic DNA methylation gains and losses (i.e. spontaneous epimutations), as they have been shown to arise rapidly with each cell division. Here, we formalize a special case of the detached-meristem model, where precursor cells are randomly sampled from the SAM periphery in a way that maximizes cell lineage independence. We show that somatic drift during repeated branching gives rise to a mixture of cellular phylogenies within the SAM over time. This process is dependent on the number of branch points, the strength of drift as well as the epimutation rate. Our model predicts that cell-to-cell DNA methylation heterogeneity in the SAM converges to nonzero states during development, suggesting that epigenetic variation is an inherent property of the SAM cell population. Our insights have direct implications for empirical studies of somatic (epi)genomic diversity in long-lived perennial and clonal species using bulk or single-cell sequencing approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifan Chen
- Department of Mathematics, Technical University of Munich, Garching 85748, Germany
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Plant Epigenomics, Technical University of Munich, Freising 85354, Germany
| | - Agata Burian
- Institute of Biology, Biotechnology and Environmental Protection, University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice 40-032, Poland
| | - Frank Johannes
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Plant Epigenomics, Technical University of Munich, Freising 85354, Germany
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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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Nishio H, Kawakatsu T, Yamaguchi N. Beyond heat waves: Unlocking epigenetic heat stress memory in Arabidopsis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:1934-1951. [PMID: 37878744 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Plants remember their exposure to environmental changes and respond more effectively the next time they encounter a similar change by flexibly altering gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms play a crucial role in establishing such memory of environmental changes and fine-tuning gene expression. With the recent advancements in biochemistry and sequencing technologies, it has become possible to characterize the dynamics of epigenetic changes on scales ranging from short term (minutes) to long term (generations). Here, our main focus is on describing the current understanding of the temporal regulation of histone modifications and chromatin changes during exposure to short-term recurring high temperatures and reevaluating them in the context of natural environments. Investigations of the dynamics of histone modifications and chromatin structural changes in Arabidopsis after repeated exposure to heat at short intervals have revealed the detailed molecular mechanisms of short-term heat stress memory, which include histone modification enzymes, chromatin remodelers, and key transcription factors. In addition, we summarize the spatial regulation of heat responses. Based on the natural temperature patterns during summer, we discuss how plants cope with recurring heat stress occurring at various time intervals by utilizing 2 distinct types of heat stress memory mechanisms. We also explore future research directions to provide a more precise understanding of the epigenetic regulation of heat stress memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haruki Nishio
- Data Science and AI Innovation Research Promotion Center, Shiga University, Shiga 522-8522, Japan
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Shiga 520-2113, Japan
| | - Taiji Kawakatsu
- Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
| | - Nobutoshi Yamaguchi
- Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5, Takayama, Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
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Rehman S, Ahmad Z, Ramakrishnan M, Kalendar R, Zhuge Q. Regulation of plant epigenetic memory in response to cold and heat stress: towards climate resilient agriculture. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:298. [PMID: 37700098 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01219-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved to adapt and grow in hot and cold climatic conditions. Some also adapt to daily and seasonal temperature changes. Epigenetic modifications play an important role in regulating plant tolerance under such conditions. DNA methylation and post-translational modifications of histone proteins influence gene expression during plant developmental stages and under stress conditions, including cold and heat stress. While short-term modifications are common, some modifications may persist and result in stress memory that can be inherited by subsequent generations. Understanding the mechanisms of epigenomes responding to stress and the factors that trigger stress memory is crucial for developing climate-resilient agriculture, but such an integrated view is currently limited. This review focuses on the plant epigenetic stress memory during cold and heat stress. It also discusses the potential of machine learning to modify stress memory through epigenetics to develop climate-resilient crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsur Rehman
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Zishan Ahmad
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Muthusamy Ramakrishnan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Ruslan Kalendar
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, Biocenter 3, Viikinkaari 1, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.
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Niccolò T, Anderson AW, Emidio A. Apomixis: oh, what a tangled web we have! PLANTA 2023; 257:92. [PMID: 37000270 PMCID: PMC10066125 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04124-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a complex evolutionary trait with many possible origins. Here we discuss various clues and causes, ultimately proposing a model harmonizing the three working hypotheses on the topic. Asexual reproduction through seeds, i.e., apomixis, is the holy grail of plant biology. Its implementation in modern breeding could be a game-changer for agriculture. It has the potential to generate clonal crops and maintain valuable complex genotypes and their associated heterotic traits without inbreeding depression. The genetic basis and origins of apomixis are still unclear. There are three central hypothesis for the development of apomixis that could be: i) a deviation from the sexual developmental program caused by an asynchronous development, ii) environmentally triggered through epigenetic regulations (a polyphenism of sex), iii) relying on one or more genes/alleles. Because of the ever-increasing complexity of the topic, the path toward a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying apomixis remains unclear. Here, we discuss the most recent advances in the evolution perspective of this multifaceted trait. We incorporated our understanding of the effect of endogenous effectors, such as small RNAs, epigenetic regulation, hormonal pathways, protein turnover, and cell wall modification in response to an upside stress. This can be either endogenous (hybridization or polyploidization) or exogenous environmental stress, mainly due to oxidative stress and the corresponding ROS (Reacting Oxygen Species) effectors. Finally, we graphically represented this tangled web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terzaroli Niccolò
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Aaron W Anderson
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Fulbright Scholar From Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Albertini Emidio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Trieste, Italy
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Hörandl E. Geographical Parthenogenesis in Alpine and Arctic Plants. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:844. [PMID: 36840192 PMCID: PMC9959270 DOI: 10.3390/plants12040844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The term "Geographical parthenogenesis" describes the phenomenon that asexual organisms usually occupy larger and more northern distribution areas than their sexual relatives, and tend to colonize previously glaciated areas. Several case studies on alpine and arctic plants confirm the geographical pattern, but the causal factors behind the phenomenon are still unclear. Research of the last decade in several plant families has shed light on the question and evaluated some of the classical evolutionary theories. Results confirmed, in general, that the advantages of uniparental reproduction enable apomictic plants to re-colonize faster in larger and more northern distribution areas. Associated factors like polyploidy seem to contribute mainly to the spatial separation of sexual and asexual cytotypes. Ecological studies suggest a better tolerance of apomicts to colder climates and temperate extremes, whereby epigenetic flexibility and phenotypic plasticity play an important role in occupying ecological niches under harsh conditions. Genotypic diversity appears to be of lesser importance for the distributional success of asexual plants. Classical evolutionary theories like a reduced pressure of biotic interactions in colder climates and hence an advantage to asexuals (Red Queen hypothesis) did not gain support from studies on plants. However, it is also still enigmatic why sexual outcrossing remains the predominant mode of reproduction also in alpine floras. Constraints for the origin of apomixis might play a role. Interestingly, some studies suggest an association of sexuality with abiotic stresses. Light stress in high elevations might explain why most alpine plants retain sexual reproduction despite other environmental factors that would favor apomixis. Directions for future research will be given.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
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Plant DNA Methylation: An Epigenetic Mark in Development, Environmental Interactions, and Evolution. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158299. [PMID: 35955429 PMCID: PMC9368846 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification of the genome involved in the regulation of gene expression and modulation of chromatin structure. Plant genomes are widely methylated, and the methylation generally occurs on the cytosine bases through the activity of specific enzymes called DNA methyltransferases. On the other hand, methylated DNA can also undergo demethylation through the action of demethylases. The methylation landscape is finely tuned and assumes a pivotal role in plant development and evolution. This review illustrates different molecular aspects of DNA methylation and some plant physiological processes influenced by this epigenetic modification in model species, crops, and ornamental plants such as orchids. In addition, this review aims to describe the relationship between the changes in plant DNA methylation levels and the response to biotic and abiotic stress. Finally, we discuss the possible evolutionary implications and biotechnological applications of DNA methylation.
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8
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Zhang RX, Li BB, Yang ZG, Huang JQ, Sun WH, Bhanbhro N, Liu WT, Chen KM. Dissecting Plant Gene Functions Using CRISPR Toolsets for Crop Improvement. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2022; 70:7343-7359. [PMID: 35695482 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.2c01754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR-based gene editing technology has become more and more powerful in genome manipulation for agricultural breeding, with numerous improved toolsets springing up. In recent years, many CRISPR toolsets for gene editing, such as base editors (BEs), CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), CRISPR activation (CRISPRa), and plant epigenetic editors (PEEs), have been developed to clarify gene function and full-level gene regulation. Here, we comprehensively summarize the application and capacity of the different CRISPR toolsets in the study of plant gene expression regulation, highlighting their potential application in gene regulatory networks' analysis. The general problems in CRISPR application and the optimal solutions in the existing schemes for high-throughput gene function analysis are also discussed. The CRISPR toolsets targeting gene manipulation discussed here provide new solutions for further genetic improvement and molecular breeding of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui-Xiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Bin-Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Zheng-Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Jia-Qi Huang
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110866, China
| | - Wei-Hang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Nadeem Bhanbhro
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Wen-Ting Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - Kun-Ming Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology in Arid Area/College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
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9
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Viviani A, Spada M, Giordani T, Fambrini M, Pugliesi C. Origin of the genome editing systems: application for crop improvement. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01142-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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10
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Quan J, Münzbergová Z, Latzel V. Time dynamics of stress legacy in clonal transgenerational effects: A case study on
Trifolium repens. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8959. [PMID: 35646308 PMCID: PMC9130644 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress can be remembered by plants in a form of stress legacy that can alter future phenotypes of previously stressed plants and even phenotypes of their offspring. DNA methylation belongs among the mechanisms mediating the stress legacy. It is however not known for how long the stress legacy is carried by plants. If the legacy is long‐lasting, it can become maladaptive in situations when parental–offspring environment do not match. We investigated for how long after the last exposure of a parental plant to drought can the phenotype of its clonal offspring be altered. We grew parental plants of three genotypes of Trifolium repens for five months either in control conditions or in control conditions that were interrupted with intense drought periods applied for two months in four different time slots. We also treated half of the parental plants with a demethylating agent (5‐azacytidine, 5‐azaC) to test for the potential role of DNA methylation in the stress memory. Then, we transplanted parental cuttings (ramets) individually to control environment and allowed them to produce offspring ramets for two months. The drought stress experienced by parents affected phenotypes of offspring ramets. The stress legacy resulted in enhanced number of offspring ramets originating from plants that experienced drought stress even 56 days before their transplantation to the control environment. 5‐azaC altered transgenerational effects on offspring ramets. We confirmed that drought stress can trigger transgenerational effects in T. repens that is very likely mediated by DNA methylation. Most importantly, the stress legacy in parental plants persisted for at least 8 weeks suggesting that the stress legacy can persist in a clonal plant Trifolium repens for relatively long period. We suggest that the stress legacy should be considered in future ecological studies on clonal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Quan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China Ministry of Education Northwest University Xi’an China
- Institute of Botany Czech Academy of Sciences Průhonice Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Institute of Botany Czech Academy of Sciences Průhonice Czech Republic
- Department of Botany Faculty of Science Charles University Prague Czech Republic
| | - Vít Latzel
- Institute of Botany Czech Academy of Sciences Průhonice Czech Republic
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11
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Van de Pette M, Dimond A, Galvão AM, Millership SJ, To W, Prodani C, McNamara G, Bruno L, Sardini A, Webster Z, McGinty J, French PMW, Uren AG, Castillo-Fernandez J, Watkinson W, Ferguson-Smith AC, Merkenschlager M, John RM, Kelsey G, Fisher AG. Epigenetic changes induced by in utero dietary challenge result in phenotypic variability in successive generations of mice. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2464. [PMID: 35513363 PMCID: PMC9072353 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30022-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission of epigenetic information between generations occurs in nematodes, flies and plants, mediated by specialised small RNA pathways, modified histones and DNA methylation. Similar processes in mammals can also affect phenotype through intergenerational or trans-generational mechanisms. Here we generate a luciferase knock-in reporter mouse for the imprinted Dlk1 locus to visualise and track epigenetic fidelity across generations. Exposure to high-fat diet in pregnancy provokes sustained re-expression of the normally silent maternal Dlk1 in offspring (loss of imprinting) and increased DNA methylation at the somatic differentially methylated region (sDMR). In the next generation heterogeneous Dlk1 mis-expression is seen exclusively among animals born to F1-exposed females. Oocytes from these females show altered gene and microRNA expression without changes in DNA methylation, and correct imprinting is restored in subsequent generations. Our results illustrate how diet impacts the foetal epigenome, disturbing canonical and non-canonical imprinting mechanisms to modulate the properties of successive generations of offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew Van de Pette
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Andrew Dimond
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - António M Galvão
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
- Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of PAS, Department of Reproductive Immunology and Pathology, Olsztyn, Poland
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
| | - Steven J Millership
- Department of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Wilson To
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Chiara Prodani
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Gráinne McNamara
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Ludovica Bruno
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Alessandro Sardini
- Whole Animal Physiology and Imaging, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Zoe Webster
- Transgenics and Embryonic Stem Cell Laboratory, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - James McGinty
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Paul M W French
- Photonics Group, Department of Physics, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Anthony G Uren
- Cancer Genomics Group, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | | | - William Watkinson
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Anne C Ferguson-Smith
- Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EH, UK
| | - Matthias Merkenschlager
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Rosalind M John
- Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Gavin Kelsey
- Epigenetics Programme, The Babraham Institute, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK
- Centre for Trophoblast Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EG, UK
- Wellcome-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science-Metabolic Research Laboratories, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ, UK
| | - Amanda G Fisher
- Lymphocyte Development & Epigenetic Memory Groups, MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK.
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12
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Yadav NS, Titov V, Ayemere I, Byeon B, Ilnytskyy Y, Kovalchuk I. Multigenerational Exposure to Heat Stress Induces Phenotypic Resilience, and Genetic and Epigenetic Variations in Arabidopsis thaliana Offspring. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:728167. [PMID: 35419019 PMCID: PMC8996174 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.728167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants are sedentary organisms that constantly sense changes in their environment and react to various environmental cues. On a short-time scale, plants respond through alterations in their physiology, and on a long-time scale, plants alter their development and pass on the memory of stress to the progeny. The latter is controlled genetically and epigenetically and allows the progeny to be primed for future stress encounters, thus increasing the likelihood of survival. The current study intended to explore the effects of multigenerational heat stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. Twenty-five generations of Arabidopsis thaliana were propagated in the presence of heat stress. The multigenerational stressed lineage F25H exhibited a higher tolerance to heat stress and elevated frequency of homologous recombination, as compared to the parallel control progeny F25C. A comparison of genomic sequences revealed that the F25H lineage had a three-fold higher number of mutations [single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertions and deletions (INDELs)] as compared control lineages, suggesting that heat stress induced genetic variations in the heat-stressed progeny. The F25H stressed progeny showed a 7-fold higher number of non-synonymous mutations than the F25C line. Methylome analysis revealed that the F25H stressed progeny showed a lower global methylation level in the CHH context than the control progeny. The F25H and F25C lineages were different from the parental control lineage F2C by 66,491 and 80,464 differentially methylated positions (DMPs), respectively. F25H stressed progeny displayed higher frequency of methylation changes in the gene body and lower in the body of transposable elements (TEs). Gene Ontology analysis revealed that CG-DMRs were enriched in processes such as response to abiotic and biotic stimulus, cell organizations and biogenesis, and DNA or RNA metabolism. Hierarchical clustering of these epimutations separated the heat stressed and control parental progenies into distinct groups which revealed the non-random nature of epimutations. We observed an overall higher number of epigenetic variations than genetic variations in all comparison groups, indicating that epigenetic variations are more prevalent than genetic variations. The largest difference in epigenetic and genetic variations was observed between control plants comparison (F25C vs. F2C), which clearly indicated that the spontaneous nature of epigenetic variations and heat-inducible nature of genetic variations. Overall, our study showed that progenies derived from multigenerational heat stress displayed a notable adaption in context of phenotypic, genotypic and epigenotypic resilience.
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14
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Epigenetic Modifications in Plant Development and Reproduction. EPIGENOMES 2021; 5:epigenomes5040025. [PMID: 34968249 PMCID: PMC8715465 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes5040025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are exposed to highly fluctuating effects of light, temperature, weather conditions, and many other environmental factors throughout their life. As sessile organisms, unlike animals, they are unable to escape, hide, or even change their position. Therefore, the growth and development of plants are largely determined by interaction with the external environment. The success of this interaction depends on the ability of the phenotype plasticity, which is largely determined by epigenetic regulation. In addition to how environmental factors can change the patterns of genes expression, epigenetic regulation determines how genetic expression changes during the differentiation of one cell type into another and how patterns of gene expression are passed from one cell to its descendants. Thus, one genome can generate many ‘epigenomes’. Epigenetic modifications acquire special significance during the formation of gametes and plant reproduction when epigenetic marks are eliminated during meiosis and early embryogenesis and later reappear. However, during asexual plant reproduction, when meiosis is absent or suspended, epigenetic modifications that have arisen in the parental sporophyte can be transmitted to the next clonal generation practically unchanged. In plants that reproduce sexually and asexually, epigenetic variability has different adaptive significance. In asexuals, epigenetic regulation is of particular importance for imparting plasticity to the phenotype when, apart from mutations, the genotype remains unchanged for many generations of individuals. Of particular interest is the question of the possibility of transferring acquired epigenetic memory to future generations and its potential role for natural selection and evolution. All these issues will be discussed to some extent in this review.
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15
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Soliman M, Bocchini M, Stein J, Ortiz JPA, Albertini E, Delgado L. Environmental and Genetic Factors Affecting Apospory Expressivity in Diploid Paspalum rufum. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10102100. [PMID: 34685909 PMCID: PMC8537111 DOI: 10.3390/plants10102100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In angiosperms, gametophytic apomixis (clonal reproduction through seeds) is strongly associated with polyploidy and hybridization. The trait is facultative and its expressivity is highly variable between genotypes. Here, we used an F1 progeny derived from diploid apomictic (aposporic) genotypes of Paspalum rufum and two F2 families, derived from F1 hybrids with different apospory expressivity (%AES), to analyze the influence of the environment and the transgenerational transmission of the trait. In addition, AFLP markers were developed in the F1 population to identify genomic regions associated with the %AES. Cytoembryological analyses showed that the %AES was significantly influenced by different environments, but remained stable across the years. F1 and F2 progenies showed a wide range of %AES variation, but most hybrids were not significantly different from the parental genotypes. Maternal and paternal genetic linkage maps were built covering the ten expected linkage groups (LG). A single-marker analysis detected at least one region of 5.7 cM on LG3 that was significantly associated with apospory expressivity. Our results underline the importance of environmental influence in modulating apospory expressivity and identified a genomic region associated with apospory expressivity at the diploid level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariano Soliman
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario S2125ZAA, Zavalla, Argentina; (M.S.); (J.S.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Marika Bocchini
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.A.)
| | - Juliana Stein
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario S2125ZAA, Zavalla, Argentina; (M.S.); (J.S.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Juan Pablo A. Ortiz
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario S2125ZAA, Zavalla, Argentina; (M.S.); (J.S.); (J.P.A.O.)
| | - Emidio Albertini
- Department Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, 06121 Perugia, Italy; (M.B.); (E.A.)
| | - Luciana Delgado
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias Agrarias de Rosario (IICAR), CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario S2125ZAA, Zavalla, Argentina; (M.S.); (J.S.); (J.P.A.O.)
- Correspondence:
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16
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Kakoulidou I, Avramidou EV, Baránek M, Brunel-Muguet S, Farrona S, Johannes F, Kaiserli E, Lieberman-Lazarovich M, Martinelli F, Mladenov V, Testillano PS, Vassileva V, Maury S. Epigenetics for Crop Improvement in Times of Global Change. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:766. [PMID: 34439998 PMCID: PMC8389687 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics has emerged as an important research field for crop improvement under the on-going climatic changes. Heritable epigenetic changes can arise independently of DNA sequence alterations and have been associated with altered gene expression and transmitted phenotypic variation. By modulating plant development and physiological responses to environmental conditions, epigenetic diversity-naturally, genetically, chemically, or environmentally induced-can help optimise crop traits in an era challenged by global climate change. Beyond DNA sequence variation, the epigenetic modifications may contribute to breeding by providing useful markers and allowing the use of epigenome diversity to predict plant performance and increase final crop production. Given the difficulties in transferring the knowledge of the epigenetic mechanisms from model plants to crops, various strategies have emerged. Among those strategies are modelling frameworks dedicated to predicting epigenetically controlled-adaptive traits, the use of epigenetics for in vitro regeneration to accelerate crop breeding, and changes of specific epigenetic marks that modulate gene expression of traits of interest. The key challenge that agriculture faces in the 21st century is to increase crop production by speeding up the breeding of resilient crop species. Therefore, epigenetics provides fundamental molecular information with potential direct applications in crop enhancement, tolerance, and adaptation within the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Kakoulidou
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, 85354 Freising, Germany; (I.K.); (F.J.)
| | - Evangelia V. Avramidou
- Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (ELGO-DIMITRA), 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - Miroslav Baránek
- Faculty of Horticulture, Mendeleum—Institute of Genetics, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 334, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic;
| | - Sophie Brunel-Muguet
- UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et Nutritions N, C, S, UNICAEN, INRAE, Normandie Université, CEDEX, F-14032 Caen, France;
| | - Sara Farrona
- Plant and AgriBiosciences Centre, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland;
| | - Frank Johannes
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, 85354 Freising, Germany; (I.K.); (F.J.)
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenberg Str. 2a, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Eirini Kaiserli
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel;
| | - Federico Martinelli
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Velimir Mladenov
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Sq. Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Pilar S. Testillano
- Pollen Biotechnology of Crop Plants Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-(CIB-CSIC), Ramiro Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Valya Vassileva
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Bldg. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Stéphane Maury
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures, INRAE, EA1207 USC1328, Université d’Orléans, F-45067 Orléans, France
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17
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Huber M, Gablenz S, Höfer M. Transgenerational non-genetic inheritance has fitness costs and benefits under recurring stress in the clonal duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211269. [PMID: 34284629 PMCID: PMC8292752 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although non-genetic inheritance is thought to play an important role in plant ecology and evolution, evidence for adaptive transgenerational plasticity is scarce. Here, we investigated the consequences of copper excess on offspring defences and fitness under recurring stress in the duckweed Spirodela polyrhiza across multiple asexual generations. Growing large monoclonal populations (greater than 10 000 individuals) for 30 generations under copper excess had negative fitness effects after short and no fitness effect after prolonged growth under recurring stress. These time-dependent growth rates were likely influenced by environment-induced transgenerational responses, as propagating plants as single descendants for 2 to 10 generations under copper excess had positive, negative or neutral effects on offspring fitness depending on the interval between initial and recurring stress (5 to 15 generations). Fitness benefits under recurring stress were independent of flavonoid accumulations, which in turn were associated with altered plant copper concentrations. Copper excess modified offspring fitness under recurring stress in a genotype-specific manner, and increasing the interval between initial and recurring stress reversed these genotype-specific fitness effects. Taken together, these data demonstrate time- and genotype-dependent adaptive and non-adaptive transgenerational responses under recurring stress, which suggests that non-genetic inheritance alters the evolutionary trajectory of clonal plant lineages in fluctuating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meret Huber
- Department of Biochemistry, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Saskia Gablenz
- Department of Biochemistry, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
| | - Martin Höfer
- Department of Biochemistry, Max-Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
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18
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Zhang X, Li C, Tie D, Quan J, Yue M, Liu X. Epigenetic memory and growth responses of the clonal plant Glechoma longituba to parental recurrent UV-B stress. FUNCTIONAL PLANT BIOLOGY : FPB 2021; 48:827-838. [PMID: 33820599 DOI: 10.1071/fp20303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The responses of plants to recurrent stress may differ from their responses to a single stress event. In this study, we investigated whether clonal plants can remember past environments. Parental ramets of Glechoma longituba (Nakai) Kuprian were exposed to UV-B stress treatments either once or repeatedly (20 and 40 repetitions). Differences in DNA methylation levels and growth parameters among parents, offspring ramets and genets were analysed. Our results showed that UV-B stress reduced the DNA methylation level of parental ramets, and the reduction was enhanced by increasing the number of UV-B treatments. The epigenetic variation exhibited by recurrently stressed parents was maintained for a long time, but that of singly stressed parents was only short-term. Moreover, clonal plants responded to different UV-B stress treatments with different growth strategies. The one-time stress was a eustress that increased genet biomass by increasing offspring leaf allocation and defensive allocation in comparison to the older offspring. In contrast, recurring stress was a distress that reduced genet biomass, increased the biomass of storage stolons, and allocated more defensive substances to the younger ramets. This study demonstrated that the growth of offspring and genets was clearly affected by parental experience, and parental epigenetic memory and the transgenerational effect may play important roles in this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Cunxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Dan Tie
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Jiaxin Quan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Ming Yue
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China; and Corresponding author.
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19
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Mladenov V, Fotopoulos V, Kaiserli E, Karalija E, Maury S, Baranek M, Segal N, Testillano PS, Vassileva V, Pinto G, Nagel M, Hoenicka H, Miladinović D, Gallusci P, Vergata C, Kapazoglou A, Abraham E, Tani E, Gerakari M, Sarri E, Avramidou E, Gašparović M, Martinelli F. Deciphering the Epigenetic Alphabet Involved in Transgenerational Stress Memory in Crops. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7118. [PMID: 34281171 PMCID: PMC8268041 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although epigenetic modifications have been intensely investigated over the last decade due to their role in crop adaptation to rapid climate change, it is unclear which epigenetic changes are heritable and therefore transmitted to their progeny. The identification of epigenetic marks that are transmitted to the next generations is of primary importance for their use in breeding and for the development of new cultivars with a broad-spectrum of tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this review, we discuss general aspects of plant responses to environmental stresses and provide an overview of recent findings on the role of transgenerational epigenetic modifications in crops. In addition, we take the opportunity to describe the aims of EPI-CATCH, an international COST action consortium composed by researchers from 28 countries. The aim of this COST action launched in 2020 is: (1) to define standardized pipelines and methods used in the study of epigenetic mechanisms in plants, (2) update, share, and exchange findings in epigenetic responses to environmental stresses in plants, (3) develop new concepts and frontiers in plant epigenetics and epigenomics, (4) enhance dissemination, communication, and transfer of knowledge in plant epigenetics and epigenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velimir Mladenov
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Sq. Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Vasileios Fotopoulos
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology & Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Lemesos 3036, Cyprus;
| | - Eirini Kaiserli
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Erna Karalija
- Laboratory for Plant Physiology, Department for Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
| | - Stephane Maury
- INRAe, EA1207 USC1328 Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures, Université d’Orléans, 45067 Orléans, France;
| | - Miroslav Baranek
- Mendeleum—Insitute of Genetics, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 334, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic;
| | - Naama Segal
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, The National Center for Mariculture (NCM), P.O.B. 1212, Eilat 88112, Israel;
| | - Pilar S. Testillano
- Center of Biological Research Margarita Salas, CIB-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Valya Vassileva
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Bldg. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Glória Pinto
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Biology Department, Campus de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Manuela Nagel
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany;
| | - Hans Hoenicka
- Genomic Research Department, Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany;
| | - Dragana Miladinović
- Laboratory for Biotechnology, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Philippe Gallusci
- UMR Ecophysiologie et Génomique Fonctionnelle de la Vigne, Université de Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux Science Agro, 210 Chemin de Leysotte—CS5000833882 Villenave d’Ornon, 33076 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Chiara Vergata
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Aliki Kapazoglou
- Department of Vitis, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture (IOSV), Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (HAO-Dimitra), Sofokli Venizelou 1, Lykovrysi, 14123 Athens, Greece;
| | - Eleni Abraham
- Laboratory of Range Science, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Eleni Tani
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Maria Gerakari
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Efi Sarri
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Evaggelia Avramidou
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Mateo Gašparović
- Chair of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Federico Martinelli
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
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20
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Girón-Calva PS, Pérez-Fons L, Sandmann G, Fraser PD, Christou P. Nitrogen inputs influence vegetative metabolism in maize engineered with a seed-specific carotenoid pathway. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2021; 40:899-911. [PMID: 33787959 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-021-02689-2] [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: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Metabolomic profiling of a maize line engineered with an endosperm-specific carotenogenic pathway revealed unexpected metabolic readjustments of primary metabolism in leaves and roots. High-carotenoid (HC) maize was engineered to accumulate high levels of carotenoids in the endosperm. The metabolic interventions influenced the flux through non-target pathways in tissues that were not affected by the targeted intervention. HC maize at the vegetative stage also showed a reduced susceptibility to insect feeding. It is unknown, however, whether the metabolic history of the embryo has any impact on the metabolite composition in vegetative tissues. We, therefore, compared HC maize and its isogenic counterpart (M37W) to test the hypothesis that boosting the carotenoid content in the endosperm triggers compensatory effects in core metabolism in vegetative tissues. Specifically, we investigated whether the metabolite composition of leaves and roots at the V6 stage differs between HC and M37W, and whether N inputs further alter the core metabolism of HC compared to M37W. We found an increase in the abundance of organic acids from the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in HC even under restricted N conditions. In contrast, low levels of carotenoids and chlorophyll were measured regardless of N levels. Sugars were also significantly depleted in HC under low N. We propose a model explaining the observed genotype-dependent and input-dependent effects, in which organic acids derived from the TCA cycle accumulate during vegetative growth and contribute to the increased demand for pyruvate and/or acetyl-CoA in the endosperm and embryo. This response may in part reflect the transgenerational priming of vegetative tissues in the embryo induced by the increased demand for metabolic precursors during seed development in the previous generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia S Girón-Calva
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Lleida, Spain
| | - Laura Pérez-Fons
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University London, Egham, Surrey, UK
| | - Gerhard Sandmann
- Institute of Molecular Bioscience, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Paul D Fraser
- Department of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University London, Egham, Surrey, UK.
| | - Paul Christou
- Department of Plant Production and Forestry Sciences, University of Lleida-Agrotecnio Center, Lleida, Spain.
- ICREA, Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Spain.
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21
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Quan J, Latzel V, Tie D, Zhang Y, Münzbergová Z, Chai Y, Liu X, Yue M. Ultraviolet B Radiation Triggers DNA Methylation Change and Affects Foraging Behavior of the Clonal Plant Glechoma longituba. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:633982. [PMID: 33719308 PMCID: PMC7952652 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.633982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Clonal plants in heterogeneous environments can benefit from their habitat selection behavior, which enables them to utilize patchily distributed resources efficiently. It has been shown that such behavior can be strongly influenced by their memories on past environmental interactions. Epigenetic variation such as DNA methylation was proposed to be one of the mechanisms involved in the memory. Here, we explored whether the experience with Ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation triggers epigenetic memory and affects clonal plants' foraging behavior in an UV-B heterogeneous environment. Parental ramets of Glechoma longituba were exposed to UV-B radiation for 15 days or not (controls), and their offspring ramets were allowed to choose light environment enriched with UV-B or not (the species is monopodial and can only choose one environment). Sizes and epigenetic profiles (based on methylation-sensitive amplification polymorphism analysis) of parental and offspring plants from different environments were also analyzed. Parental ramets that have been exposed to UV-B radiation were smaller than ramets from control environment and produced less and smaller offspring ramets. Offspring ramets were placed more often into the control light environment (88.46% ramets) than to the UV-B light environment (11.54% ramets) when parental ramets were exposed to UV-B radiation, which is a manifestation of "escape strategy." Offspring of control parental ramets show similar preference to the two light environments. Parental ramets exposed to UV-B had lower levels of overall DNA methylation and had different epigenetic profiles than control parental ramets. The methylation of UV-B-stressed parental ramets was maintained among their offspring ramets, although the epigenetic differentiation was reduced after several asexual generations. The parental experience with the UV-B radiation strongly influenced foraging behavior. The memory on the previous environmental interaction enables clonal plants to better interact with a heterogeneous environment and the memory is at least partly based on heritable epigenetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Quan
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Vít Latzel
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
| | - Dan Tie
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Yuhan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Institute of Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Yongfu Chai
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Xiao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ming Yue
- Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Northwest University, Xi’an, China
- Xi’an Botanical Garden of Shaanxi Province/Institute of Botany of Shaanxi Province, Xi’an, China
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22
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Zhan X, Lu Y, Zhu JK, Botella JR. Genome editing for plant research and crop improvement. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 63:3-33. [PMID: 33369120 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The advent of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) has had a profound impact on plant biology, and crop improvement. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art development of CRISPR technologies and their applications in plants, from the initial introduction of random small indel (insertion or deletion) mutations at target genomic loci to precision editing such as base editing, prime editing and gene targeting. We describe advances in the use of class 2, types II, V, and VI systems for gene disruption as well as for precise sequence alterations, gene transcription, and epigenome control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangqiang Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas and College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang, 712100, China
| | - Yuming Lu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, 47907, USA
| | - Jose Ramon Botella
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, 4072, Australia
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23
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De Kort H, Panis B, Deforce D, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Honnay O. Ecological divergence of wild strawberry DNA methylation patterns at distinct spatial scales. Mol Ecol 2020; 29:4871-4881. [DOI: 10.1111/mec.15689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2020] [Revised: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Hanne De Kort
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Bart Panis
- Bioversity InternationalK.U. Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Ghent University Ghent Belgium
| | | | - Ollivier Honnay
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
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Adrian-Kalchhauser I, Sultan SE, Shama LNS, Spence-Jones H, Tiso S, Keller Valsecchi CI, Weissing FJ. Understanding 'Non-genetic' Inheritance: Insights from Molecular-Evolutionary Crosstalk. Trends Ecol Evol 2020; 35:1078-1089. [PMID: 33036806 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.08.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the evolutionary and ecological roles of 'non-genetic' inheritance (NGI) is daunting due to the complexity and diversity of epigenetic mechanisms. We draw on insights from molecular and evolutionary biology perspectives to identify three general features of 'non-genetic' inheritance systems: (i) they are functionally interdependent with, rather than separate from, DNA sequence; (ii) precise mechanisms vary phylogenetically and operationally; and (iii) epigenetic elements are probabilistic, interactive regulatory factors and not deterministic 'epialleles' with defined genomic locations and effects. We discuss each of these features and offer recommendations for future empirical and theoretical research that implements a unifying inherited gene regulation (IGR) approach to studies of 'non-genetic' inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Adrian-Kalchhauser
- Centre for Fish and Wildlife Health, Department for Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Länggassstrasse 122, 3012 Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Sonia E Sultan
- Biology Department, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 06459, USA
| | - Lisa N S Shama
- Coastal Ecology Section, Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Wadden Sea Station Sylt, Hafenstrasse 43, 25992 List, Germany
| | - Helen Spence-Jones
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Stefano Tiso
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), Ackermannweg 4, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | | | - Franz J Weissing
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747, AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Syngelaki E, Daubert M, Klatt S, Hörandl E. Phenotypic Responses, Reproduction Mode and Epigenetic Patterns under Temperature Treatments in the Alpine Plant Species Ranunculus kuepferi (Ranunculaceae). BIOLOGY 2020; 9:E315. [PMID: 33003474 PMCID: PMC7600421 DOI: 10.3390/biology9100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Plant life in alpine habitats is shaped by harsh abiotic conditions and cold climates. Phenotypic variation of morphological characters and reproduction can be influenced by temperature stress. Nevertheless, little is known about the performance of different cytotypes under cold stress and how epigenetic patterns could relate to phenotypic variation. Ranunculus kuepferi, a perennial alpine plant, served as a model system for testing the effect of cold stress on phenotypic plasticity, reproduction mode, and epigenetic variation. Diploid and autotetraploid individuals were placed in climate growth cabinets under warm and cold conditions. Morphological traits (height, leaves and flowers) and the proportion of well-developed seeds were measured as fitness indicators, while flow cytometric seed screening (FCSS) was utilized to determine the reproduction mode. Subsequently, comparisons with patterns of methylation-sensitive amplified fragment-length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were conducted. Diploids grew better under warm conditions, while tetraploids performed better in cold treatments. Epigenetic patterns were correlated with the expressed morphological traits. Cold stress reduced the reproduction fitness but did not induce apomixis in diploids. Overall, our study underlines the potential of phenotypic plasticity for acclimation under environmental conditions and confirms the different niche preferences of cytotypes in natural populations. Results help to understand the pattern of geographical parthenogenesis in the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Syngelaki
- Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Mareike Daubert
- Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany;
| | - Simone Klatt
- Section Safety and Environmental Protection, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Elvira Hörandl
- Albrecht-von-Haller-Institute for Plant Sciences, Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
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Kitavi M, Cashell R, Ferguson M, Lorenzen J, Nyine M, McKeown PC, Spillane C. Heritable epigenetic diversity for conservation and utilization of epigenetic germplasm resources of clonal East African Highland banana (EAHB) accessions. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2020; 133:2605-2625. [PMID: 32719910 PMCID: PMC7419381 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-020-03620-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
KEY MESSAGE Genetically identical East African Highland banana (EAHB) clones are epigenetically diverse with heritable epialleles that can contribute to morphological diversity. Heritable epigenetic variation can contribute to agronomic traits in crops and should be considered in germplasm conservation. Despite the genetic uniformity arising from a genetic bottleneck of one ancestral clone, followed by subsequent vegetative propagation, East African Highland bananas (EAHBs) display significant phenotypic diversity potentially arising from somatic mutations, heritable epialleles and/or genotype-by-environment interactions. Here, we use DNA methylation profiling across EAHB accessions representing most of the primary EAHB genepool to demonstrate that the genetically uniform EAHB genepool harbours significant epigenetic diversity. By analysing 724 polymorphic DNA methylation sites by methylation-sensitive AFLP across 90 EAHB cultivars, we could differentiate the EAHB varieties according to their regions (Kenya and Uganda). In contrast, there was minimal association of DNA methylation variation with the five morphological groups that are used to classify EAHBs. We further analysed DNA methylation patterns in parent-offspring cohort, which were maintained in offspring generated by sexual (seed) and asexual (vegetative) propagation, with higher levels of altered DNA methylation observed in vegetatively generated offspring. Our results indicate that the phenotypic diversity of near-isogenic EAHBs is mirrored by considerable DNA methylation variation, which is transmitted between generations by both vegetative reproduction and seed reproduction. Genetically uniform vegetatively propagated crops such as EAHBs harbour considerable heritable epigenetic variation, where heritable epialleles could arise in offspring and contribute to functional traits. This study provides a basis for developing strategies for conservation of epigenetic resources and for integration of epimarkers into crop breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kitavi
- Genetics and Biotechnology Lab, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - R Cashell
- Genetics and Biotechnology Lab, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - M Ferguson
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - J Lorenzen
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
- Crop R&D, Agricultural Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, PO Box 23350, Seattle, WA, 98102, USA
| | - M Nyine
- International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30709-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - P C McKeown
- Genetics and Biotechnology Lab, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland
| | - C Spillane
- Genetics and Biotechnology Lab, Plant and AgriBiosciences Research Centre (PABC), Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, H91 REW4, Ireland.
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Schinkel CCF, Syngelaki E, Kirchheimer B, Dullinger S, Klatt S, Hörandl E. Epigenetic Patterns and Geographical Parthenogenesis in the Alpine Plant Species Ranunculus kuepferi (Ranunculaceae). Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3318. [PMID: 32392879 PMCID: PMC7247541 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [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: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyploidization and the shift to apomictic reproduction are connected to changes in DNA cytosine-methylation. Cytosine-methylation is further sensitive to environmental conditions. We, therefore, hypothesize that DNA methylation patterns would differentiate within species with geographical parthenogenesis, i.e., when diploid sexual and polyploid apomictic populations exhibit different spatial distributions. On natural populations of the alpine plant Ranunculus kuepferi, we tested differences in methylation patterns across two cytotypes (diploid, tetraploid) and three reproduction modes (sexual, mixed, apomictic), and their correlation to environmental data and geographical distributions. We used methylation-sensitive amplified fragment-length polymorphism (methylation-sensitive AFLPs) and scored three types of epiloci. Methylation patterns differed independently between cytotypes versus modes of reproduction and separated three distinct combined groups (2x sexual + mixed, 4x mixed, and 4x apomictic), with differentiation of 4x apomicts in all epiloci. We found no global spatial autocorrelation, but instead correlations to elevation and temperature gradients in 22 and 36 epiloci, respectively. Results suggest that methylation patterns in R. kuepferi were altered by cold conditions during postglacial recolonization of the Alps, and by the concomitant shift to facultative apomixis, and by polyploidization. Obligate apomictic tetraploids at the highest elevations established a distinct methylation profile. Methylation patterns reflect an ecological gradient rather than the geographical differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph C. F. Schinkel
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Eleni Syngelaki
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Bernhard Kirchheimer
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (B.K.); (S.D.)
| | - Stefan Dullinger
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030 Vienna, Austria; (B.K.); (S.D.)
| | - Simone Klatt
- Section Safety and Environmental Protection, University of Goettingen, Humboldtallee 15, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants (with Herbarium), University of Goettingen, Untere Karspüle 2, 37073 Göttingen, Germany;
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28
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Kenchanmane Raju SK, Ritter EJ, Niederhuth CE. Establishment, maintenance, and biological roles of non-CG methylation in plants. Essays Biochem 2019; 63:743-755. [PMID: 31652316 PMCID: PMC6923318 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20190032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cytosine DNA methylation is prevalent throughout eukaryotes and prokaryotes. While most commonly thought of as being localized to dinucleotide CpG sites, non-CG sites can also be modified. Such non-CG methylation is widespread in plants, occurring at trinucleotide CHG and CHH (H = A, T, or C) sequence contexts. The prevalence of non-CG methylation in plants is due to the plant-specific CHROMOMETHYLASE (CMT) and RNA-directed DNA Methylation (RdDM) pathways. These pathways have evolved through multiple rounds of gene duplication and gene loss, generating epigenomic variation both within and between species. They regulate both transposable elements and genes, ensure genome integrity, and ultimately influence development and environmental responses. In these capacities, non-CG methylation influence and shape plant genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chad E Niederhuth
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, U.S.A
- AgBioResearch, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, U.S.A
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29
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Xavier MJ, Roman SD, Aitken RJ, Nixon B. Transgenerational inheritance: how impacts to the epigenetic and genetic information of parents affect offspring health. Hum Reprod Update 2019; 25:518-540. [DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmz017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2017] [Revised: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
BACKGROUND
A defining feature of sexual reproduction is the transmission of genomic information from both parents to the offspring. There is now compelling evidence that the inheritance of such genetic information is accompanied by additional epigenetic marks, or stable heritable information that is not accounted for by variations in DNA sequence. The reversible nature of epigenetic marks coupled with multiple rounds of epigenetic reprogramming that erase the majority of existing patterns have made the investigation of this phenomenon challenging. However, continual advances in molecular methods are allowing closer examination of the dynamic alterations to histone composition and DNA methylation patterns that accompany development and, in particular, how these modifications can occur in an individual’s germline and be transmitted to the following generation. While the underlying mechanisms that permit this form of transgenerational inheritance remain unclear, it is increasingly apparent that a combination of genetic and epigenetic modifications plays major roles in determining the phenotypes of individuals and their offspring.
OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE
Information pertaining to transgenerational inheritance was systematically reviewed focusing primarily on mammalian cells to the exclusion of inheritance in plants, due to inherent differences in the means by which information is transmitted between generations. The effects of environmental factors and biological processes on both epigenetic and genetic information were reviewed to determine their contribution to modulating inheritable phenotypes.
SEARCH METHODS
Articles indexed in PubMed were searched using keywords related to transgenerational inheritance, epigenetic modifications, paternal and maternal inheritable traits and environmental and biological factors influencing transgenerational modifications. We sought to clarify the role of epigenetic reprogramming events during the life cycle of mammals and provide a comprehensive review of how the genomic and epigenomic make-up of progenitors may determine the phenotype of its descendants.
OUTCOMES
We found strong evidence supporting the role of DNA methylation patterns, histone modifications and even non-protein-coding RNA in altering the epigenetic composition of individuals and producing stable epigenetic effects that were transmitted from parents to offspring, in both humans and rodent species. Multiple genomic domains and several histone modification sites were found to resist demethylation and endure genome-wide reprogramming events. Epigenetic modifications integrated into the genome of individuals were shown to modulate gene expression and activity at enhancer and promoter domains, while genetic mutations were shown to alter sequence availability for methylation and histone binding. Fundamentally, alterations to the nuclear composition of the germline in response to environmental factors, ageing, diet and toxicant exposure have the potential to become hereditably transmitted.
WIDER IMPLICATIONS
The environment influences the health and well-being of progeny by working through the germline to introduce spontaneous genetic mutations as well as a variety of epigenetic changes, including alterations in DNA methylation status and the post-translational modification of histones. In evolutionary terms, these changes create the phenotypic diversity that fuels the fires of natural selection. However, rather than being adaptive, such variation may also generate a plethora of pathological disease states ranging from dominant genetic disorders to neurological conditions, including spontaneous schizophrenia and autism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel João Xavier
- Reproductive Science Group, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Shaun D Roman
- Reproductive Science Group, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Chemical Biology and Clinical Pharmacology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - R John Aitken
- Reproductive Science Group, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
| | - Brett Nixon
- Reproductive Science Group, Faculty of Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
- Priority Research Centre for Reproductive Science, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- Matin Miryeganeh
- Plant Epigenetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa Japan
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Tokyo Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Saze
- Plant Epigenetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University Okinawa Japan
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31
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Elkonin LA, Kozhemyakin VV, Tsvetova MI. The sporophytic type of fertility restoration in the A3 CMS-inducing cytoplasm of sorghum and its modification by plant water availability conditions. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2019. [DOI: 10.18699/vj19.510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The A3 type of CMS in sorghum is one of the most difficult to restore fertility because of the low frequency of fertilityrestoring genes among sorghum accessions, the complex mechanism of fertility restoration that occurs with the complementary interaction of two gametophytic genes Rf3 and Rf4, and the sensitivity of their expression to air and soil drought. In order to test the hypothesis of the sporophytic type of fertility restoration in CMS lines with A3 type cytoplasm developed in our laboratory, we analyzed segregation in the self-pollinated progeny of fertile F1hybrids grown under different water availability conditions (in a dryland plot, in plots with additional irrigation, in a growth chamber, and in an experimental field with a natural precipitation regime) and in their backcrosses to the maternal CMS-line. The presence of sterile plants in the F2 and BC1 families with the maternal CMS line grown in all tested water availability conditions argues for the sporophytic mechanism of fertility restoration. Cytological analysis of fertile F1 hybrids revealed a significant amount of degenerating pollen grains (PGs) with impaired starch accumulation and detachment of the PG contents from the cell wall. It is assumed that the expression of the fertility-restoring genes Rf3 and Rf4 in the hybrids with studied CMS lines starts already in the sporophyte tissues, normalizing the development of a certain part of the PGs carrying the recessive alleles of these genes (rf3 and rf4), which are involved in fertilization and give rise to sterile genotypes found in F2 and BC1 families. For the first time, the transgenerational effect of water availability conditions of growing a fertility-restoring line on male fertility of the F2 generation was detected: a pollinator grown in a plot with additional irrigation produced more fertile and less sterile individuals compared to the same pollinator grown under a rainfall shelter (p < 0.01), and the segregation pattern changed from digenic to monogenic, indicating heritable inhibition of the expression of one of the fertility-restoring genes (kind of “grandfather effect”). The possibility of selection for the stability of the fertility restoration system of the A3 cytoplasm to functioning under conditions of high vapor pressure deficit during the flowering period was shown. These data may contribute to the creation of effective fertility restoring lines for this type of CMS in sorghum.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. A. Elkonin
- Agricultural Research Institute for South-East Region
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32
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Hojsgaard D, Hörandl E. The Rise of Apomixis in Natural Plant Populations. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2019; 10:358. [PMID: 31001296 PMCID: PMC6454013 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2019.00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis, the asexual reproduction via seed, has many potential applications for plant breeding by maintaining desirable genotypes over generations. Since most major crops do not express natural apomixis, it is useful to understand the origin and maintenance of apomixis in natural plant systems. Here, we review the state of knowledge on origin, establishment and maintenance of natural apomixis. Many studies suggest that hybridization, either on diploid or polyploid cytotypes, is a major trigger for the formation of unreduced female gametophytes, which represents the first step toward apomixis, and must be combined to parthenogenesis, the development of an unfertilized egg cell. Nevertheless, fertilization of endosperm is still needed for most apomictic plants. Coupling of these three steps appears to be a major constraint for shifts to natural apomixis. Adventitious embryony is another developmental pathway toward apomixis. Establishment of a newly arisen apomictic lineage is often fostered by side-effects of polyploidy. Polyploidy creates an immediate reproductive barrier against the diploid parental and progenitor populations; it can cause a breakdown of genetic self-incompatibility (SI) systems which is needed to establish self-fertility of pseudogamous apomictic lineages; and finally, polyploidy could indirectly help to establish an apomictic cytotype in a novel ecological niche by increasing adaptive potentials of the plants. This step may be followed by a phase of diversification and range expansion, mostly described as geographical parthenogenesis. The utilization of apomixis in crops must consider the potential risks of pollen transfer and introgression into sexual crop fields, which might be overcome by using pollen-sterile or cleistogamous variants. Another risk is the escape into natural vegetation and potential invasiveness of apomictic plants which needs careful management and consideration of ecological conditions.
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Hörandl E, Speijer D. How oxygen gave rise to eukaryotic sex. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2706. [PMID: 29436502 PMCID: PMC5829205 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2017] [Accepted: 01/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
How did full meiotic eukaryotic sex evolve and what was the immediate advantage allowing it to develop? We propose that the crucial determinant can be found in internal reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation at the start of eukaryotic evolution approximately 2 × 109 years ago. The large amount of ROS coming from a bacterial endosymbiont gave rise to DNA damage and vast increases in host genome mutation rates. Eukaryogenesis and chromosome evolution represent adaptations to oxidative stress. The host, an archaeon, most probably already had repair mechanisms based on DNA pairing and recombination, and possibly some kind of primitive cell fusion mechanism. The detrimental effects of internal ROS formation on host genome integrity set the stage allowing evolution of meiotic sex from these humble beginnings. Basic meiotic mechanisms thus probably evolved in response to endogenous ROS production by the ‘pre-mitochondrion’. This alternative to mitosis is crucial under novel, ROS-producing stress situations, like extensive motility or phagotrophy in heterotrophs and endosymbiontic photosynthesis in autotrophs. In multicellular eukaryotes with a germline–soma differentiation, meiotic sex with diploid–haploid cycles improved efficient purging of deleterious mutations. Constant pressure of endogenous ROS explains the ubiquitous maintenance of meiotic sex in practically all eukaryotic kingdoms. Here, we discuss the relevant observations underpinning this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Hörandl
- Department of Systematics, Biodiversity and Evolution of Plants, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dave Speijer
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Centre (AMC), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Latzel V, Münzbergová Z. Anticipatory Behavior of the Clonal Plant Fragaria vesca. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1847. [PMID: 30619415 PMCID: PMC6297673 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Active foraging for patchy resources is a crucial feature of many clonal plant species. It has been recently shown that plants' foraging for resources can be facilitated by anticipatory behavior via association of resource position with other environmental cues. We therefore tested whether clones of Fragaria vesca are able to associate and memorize positions of soil nutrients with particular light intensity, which will consequently enable them anticipating nutrients in new environment. We trained clones of F. vesca for nutrients to occur either in shade or in light. Consequently, we tested their growth response to differing light intensity in the absence of soil nutrients. We also manipulated epigenetic status of a subset of the clones to test the role of DNA methylation in the anticipatory behavior. Clones of F. vesca were able to associate presence of nutrients with particular light intensity, which enabled them to anticipate nutrient positions in the new environment based on its light intensity. Clones that had been trained for nutrients to occur in shade increased placement of ramets to shade whereas clones trained for nutrients to occur in light increased biomass of ramets in light. Our study clearly shows that the clonal plant F. vesca is able to relate two environmental factors, light and soil nutrients, and use this connection in anticipatory behavior. We conclude that anticipatory behavior can substantially improve the ability of clonal plants to utilize scarce and unevenly distributed resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vít Latzel
- Department of Population Ecology, Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Münzbergová
- Department of Population Ecology, Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
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35
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Busconi M, Soffritti G, Stagnati L, Marocco A, Marcos Martínez J, De Los Mozos Pascual M, Fernandez JA. Epigenetic stability in Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) accessions during four consecutive years of cultivation and vegetative propagation under open field conditions. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 277:1-10. [PMID: 30466573 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 09/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a sterile species that is vegetatively propagated in the field, year by year, via the production of new corms. While Saffron's genetic variability is extremely low, phenotypic variation is frequently observed in the field and epigenetics could be a possible origin of these alternative phenotypes. Present day knowledge on Saffron epigenetics is very low or absent. In the present paper, to deepen existing knowledge, we focused on the epigenetic differences and stability among 17 Saffron accessions, of different geographic origin, during four consecutive years of vegetative propagation under open field conditions. Before the analysis, the selected accessions have been cultivated in the same field for at least three consecutive years. Despite the low genetic variability and the prolonged co-cultivation in the same environment, Methylation-Sensitive Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (MS-AFLP) analysis revealed a very high epigenetic difference among accessions, making it possible to discriminate them based on the epigenetic profiles. During the four years of the study, a little variation has been observed within accessions following different patterns, slightly modifying the accession epigenotypes but not enough to even them to a more uniform profile. These results confirm that, under natural conditions, Saffron epigenotypes are highly stable, supporting a role for epigenetics in phenotypic variability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Busconi
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy.
| | - Giovanna Soffritti
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Stagnati
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Adriano Marocco
- Department of Sustainable Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
| | - Javier Marcos Martínez
- Centro de Investigación Agroforestal de Albaladejito, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desartrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Cuenca, Spain
| | - Marcelino De Los Mozos Pascual
- Centro de Investigación Agroforestal de Albaladejito, Instituto Regional de Investigación y Desartrollo Agroalimentario y Forestal, Cuenca, Spain
| | - José Antonio Fernandez
- IDR-Biotechnology and Natural Resources, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
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Abstract
Inheritance of genomic DNA underlies the vast majority of biological inheritance, yet it has been clear for decades that additional epigenetic information can be passed on to future generations. Here, we review major model systems for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance via the germline in multicellular organisms. In addition to surveying examples of epivariation that may arise stochastically or in response to unknown stimuli, we also discuss the induction of heritable epigenetic changes by genetic or environmental perturbations. Mechanistically, we discuss the increasingly well-understood molecular pathways responsible for epigenetic inheritance, with a focus on the unusual features of the germline epigenome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Bošković
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
| | - Oliver J. Rando
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, USA
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37
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Thomson CE, Winney IS, Salles OC, Pujol B. A guide to using a multiple-matrix animal model to disentangle genetic and nongenetic causes of phenotypic variance. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0197720. [PMID: 30312317 PMCID: PMC6193571 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0197720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-genetic influences on phenotypic traits can affect our interpretation of genetic variance and the evolutionary potential of populations to respond to selection, with consequences for our ability to predict the outcomes of selection. Long-term population surveys and experiments have shown that quantitative genetic estimates are influenced by nongenetic effects, including shared environmental effects, epigenetic effects, and social interactions. Recent developments to the "animal model" of quantitative genetics can now allow us to calculate precise individual-based measures of non-genetic phenotypic variance. These models can be applied to a much broader range of contexts and data types than used previously, with the potential to greatly expand our understanding of nongenetic effects on evolutionary potential. Here, we provide the first practical guide for researchers interested in distinguishing between genetic and nongenetic causes of phenotypic variation in the animal model. The methods use matrices describing individual similarity in nongenetic effects, analogous to the additive genetic relatedness matrix. In a simulation of various phenotypic traits, accounting for environmental, epigenetic, or cultural resemblance between individuals reduced estimates of additive genetic variance, changing the interpretation of evolutionary potential. These variances were estimable for both direct and parental nongenetic variances. Our tutorial outlines an easy way to account for these effects in both wild and experimental populations. These models have the potential to add to our understanding of the effects of genetic and nongenetic effects on evolutionary potential. This should be of interest both to those studying heritability, and those who wish to understand nongenetic variance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline E. Thomson
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université Fédérale Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, ENSFEA, IRD, UPS, France
| | - Isabel S. Winney
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université Fédérale Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, ENSFEA, IRD, UPS, France
| | - Océane C. Salles
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université Fédérale Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, ENSFEA, IRD, UPS, France
| | - Benoit Pujol
- Laboratoire Evolution & Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174), Université Fédérale Toulouse, Midi-Pyrénées, CNRS, ENSFEA, IRD, UPS, France
- Laboratoire d’Excellence “CORAIL”, Perpignan, France
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38
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Brocklehurst S, Watson M, Carr IM, Out S, Heidmann I, Meyer P. Induction of epigenetic variation in Arabidopsis by over-expression of DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (MET1). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192170. [PMID: 29466369 PMCID: PMC5821449 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 01/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic marks such as DNA methylation and histone modification can vary among plant accessions creating epi-alleles with different levels of expression competence. Mutations in epigenetic pathway functions are powerful tools to induce epigenetic variation. As an alternative approach, we investigated the potential of over-expressing an epigenetic function, using DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE1 (MET1) for proof-of-concept. In Arabidopsis thaliana, MET1 controls maintenance of cytosine methylation at symmetrical CG positions. At some loci, which contain dense DNA methylation in CG- and non-CG context, loss of MET1 causes joint loss of all cytosines methylation marks. We find that over-expression of both catalytically active and inactive versions of MET1 stochastically generates new epi-alleles at loci encoding transposable elements, non-coding RNAs and proteins, which results for most loci in an increase in expression. Individual transformants share some common phenotypes and genes with altered gene expression. Altered expression states can be transmitted to the next generation, which does not require the continuous presence of the MET1 transgene. Long-term stability and epigenetic features differ for individual loci. Our data show that over-expression of MET1, and potentially of other genes encoding epigenetic factors, offers an alternative strategy to identify epigenetic target genes and to create novel epi-alleles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael Watson
- Center for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Ian M. Carr
- School of Medicine Institute of Biomed. & Clin. Sciences (LIBACS), University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Suzan Out
- Enza Zaden Research and Development B.V., Enkhuizen, NL
| | - Iris Heidmann
- Enza Zaden Research and Development B.V., Enkhuizen, NL
| | - Peter Meyer
- Center for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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39
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Markus C, Pecinka A, Karan R, Barney JN, Merotto A. Epigenetic regulation - contribution to herbicide resistance in weeds? PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2018; 74:275-281. [PMID: 28888062 DOI: 10.1002/ps.4727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Continuous use of herbicides has resulted in the evolution of resistance to all major herbicide modes of action worldwide. Besides the well-documented cases of newly acquired resistance through genetic changes, epigenetic regulation may also contribute to herbicide resistance in weeds. Epigenetics involves processes that modify the expression of specific genetic elements without changes in the DNA sequence, and play an important role in re-programming gene expression. Epigenetic modifications can be induced spontaneously, genetically or environmentally. Stress-induced epigenetic changes are normally reverted soon after stress exposure, although in specific cases they can also be carried over multiple generations, thereby having a selective benefit. Here, we provide an overview of the basis of epigenetic regulation in plants and discuss the possible effect of epigenetic changes on herbicide resistance. The understanding of these epigenetic changes would add a new perspective to our knowledge of environmental and management stresses and their effects on the evolution of herbicide resistance in weeds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarine Markus
- Department of Crop Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ratna Karan
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jacob N Barney
- Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Aldo Merotto
- Department of Crop Science, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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40
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Banerjee A, Roychoudhury A. The gymnastics of epigenomics in rice. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:25-49. [PMID: 28866772 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-017-2192-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Epigenomics is represented by the high-throughput investigations of genome-wide epigenetic alterations, which ultimately dictate genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic dynamism. Rice has been accepted as the global staple crop. As a result, this model crop deserves significant importance in the rapidly emerging field of plant epigenomics. A large number of recently available data reveal the immense flexibility and potential of variable epigenomic landscapes. Such epigenomic impacts and variability are determined by a number of epigenetic regulators and several crucial inheritable epialleles, respectively. This article highlights the correlation of the epigenomic landscape with growth, flowering, reproduction, non-coding RNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation, transposon mobility and even heterosis in rice. We have also discussed the drastic epigenetic alterations which are reported in rice plants grown from seeds exposed to the extraterrestrial environment. Such abiotic conditions impose stress on the plants leading to epigenomic modifications in a genotype-specific manner. Some significant bioinformatic databases and in silico approaches have also been explained in this article. These softwares provide important interfaces for comparative epigenomics. The discussion concludes with a unified goal of developing epigenome editing to promote biological hacking of the rice epigenome. Such a cutting-edge technology if properly standardized, can integrate genomics and epigenomics together with the generation of high-yielding trait in several cultivars of rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aditya Banerjee
- Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), 30, Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata, 700016, West Bengal, India
| | - Aryadeep Roychoudhury
- Department of Biotechnology, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), 30, Mother Teresa Sarani, Kolkata, 700016, West Bengal, India.
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41
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Balao F, Paun O, Alonso C. Uncovering the contribution of epigenetics to plant phenotypic variation in Mediterranean ecosystems. PLANT BIOLOGY (STUTTGART, GERMANY) 2018. [PMID: 28637098 DOI: 10.1111/plb.12594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic signals can affect plant phenotype and fitness and be stably inherited across multiple generations. Epigenetic regulation plays a key role in the mechanisms of plant response to the environment, without altering DNA sequence. As plants cannot adapt behaviourally or migrate instantly, such dynamic epigenetic responses may be particularly crucial for survival of plants within changing and challenging environments, such as the Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems (MTEs). These ecosystems suffer recurrent stressful events (warm and dry summers with associated fire regimes) that have selected for plants with similar phenotypic complex traits, resulting in similar vegetation growth forms. However, the potential role of epigenetics in plant adaptation to recurrent stressful environments such as the MTEs has generally been ignored. To understand the full spectrum of adaptive processes in such contexts, it is imperative to prompt study of the causes and consequences of epigenetic variation in natural populations. With this purpose, we review here current knowledge on epigenetic variation in natural populations and the genetic and epigenetic basis of some key traits for plants in the MTEs, namely those traits involved in adaptation to drought, fire and oligotrophic soils. We conclude there is still much to be learned about 'plant epigenetics in the wild' and, thus, we propose future research steps in the study of natural epigenetic variation of key traits in the MTEs at different scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Balao
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ecología, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - O Paun
- Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - C Alonso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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42
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Rendina González AP, Preite V, Verhoeven KJF, Latzel V. Transgenerational Effects and Epigenetic Memory in the Clonal Plant Trifolium repens. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2018; 9:1677. [PMID: 30524458 PMCID: PMC6256281 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2018.01677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational effects (TGE) can modify phenotypes of offspring generations playing thus a potentially important role in ecology and evolution of many plant species. These effects have been studied mostly across generations of sexually reproducing species. A substantial proportion of plant species are however reproducing asexually, for instance via clonal growth. TGE are thought to be enabled by heritable epigenetic modification of DNA, although unambiguous evidence is still scarce. On the clonal herb white clover (Trifolium repens), we tested the generality of clonal TGE across five genotypes and five parental environments including soil contamination and above-ground competition. Moreover, by genome wide-methylation variation analysis we explored the role of drought, one of the parental environments that triggered the strongest TGE. We tested the induction of epigenetic changes in offspring generations using several intensities and durations of drought stress. We found that TGE of different environments were highly genotype specific and all tested environments triggered TGE at least in some genotypes. In addition, parental drought stresses triggered epigenetic change in T. repens and most of the induced epigenetic change was maintained across several clonal offspring generations. We conclude that TGE are common and genotype specific in clonal plant T. repens and potentially under epigenetic control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Veronica Preite
- Molecular Genetics and Physiology of Plants, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Vít Latzel
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
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43
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Richards CL, Alonso C, Becker C, Bossdorf O, Bucher E, Colomé-Tatché M, Durka W, Engelhardt J, Gaspar B, Gogol-Döring A, Grosse I, van Gurp TP, Heer K, Kronholm I, Lampei C, Latzel V, Mirouze M, Opgenoorth L, Paun O, Prohaska SJ, Rensing SA, Stadler PF, Trucchi E, Ullrich K, Verhoeven KJF. Ecological plant epigenetics: Evidence from model and non-model species, and the way forward. Ecol Lett 2017; 20:1576-1590. [PMID: 29027325 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2017] [Revised: 06/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence shows that epigenetic mechanisms contribute to complex traits, with implications across many fields of biology. In plant ecology, recent studies have attempted to merge ecological experiments with epigenetic analyses to elucidate the contribution of epigenetics to plant phenotypes, stress responses, adaptation to habitat, and range distributions. While there has been some progress in revealing the role of epigenetics in ecological processes, studies with non-model species have so far been limited to describing broad patterns based on anonymous markers of DNA methylation. In contrast, studies with model species have benefited from powerful genomic resources, which contribute to a more mechanistic understanding but have limited ecological realism. Understanding the significance of epigenetics for plant ecology requires increased transfer of knowledge and methods from model species research to genomes of evolutionarily divergent species, and examination of responses to complex natural environments at a more mechanistic level. This requires transforming genomics tools specifically for studying non-model species, which is challenging given the large and often polyploid genomes of plants. Collaboration among molecular geneticists, ecologists and bioinformaticians promises to enhance our understanding of the mutual links between genome function and ecological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina L Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, 33620, USA
| | | | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, 1030, Vienna, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Austria
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Etienne Bucher
- Institut de Recherche en Horticulture et Semences, 49071, Beaucouzé Cedex, France
| | - Maria Colomé-Tatché
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Institute of Computational Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany.,School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Walter Durka
- Department of Community Ecology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, 06120, Halle, Germany.,German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jan Engelhardt
- Institut für Informatik, University of Leipzig, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Bence Gaspar
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Gogol-Döring
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Computer Science, University of Halle, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Ivo Grosse
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Computer Science, University of Halle, 06120, Halle, Germany
| | - Thomas P van Gurp
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Katrin Heer
- Conservation Biology, Philipps-University of Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ilkka Kronholm
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Center of Excellence in Biological Interactions, University of Jyväskylä, 40014, Jyväskylän yliopisto, Finland
| | - Christian Lampei
- Institute of Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, 70599, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Vít Latzel
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, 25243, Průhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Mirouze
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Laboratoire Génome et Développement des Plantes, 66860, Perpignan, France
| | - Lars Opgenoorth
- Department of Ecology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ovidiu Paun
- Plant Ecological Genomics, University of Vienna, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja J Prohaska
- Institut für Informatik, University of Leipzig, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.,The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe NM, 87501, USA
| | - Stefan A Rensing
- Plant Cell Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany.,BIOSS Centre for Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, 79098, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Peter F Stadler
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institut für Informatik, University of Leipzig, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.,The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe NM, 87501, USA.,Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emiliano Trucchi
- Plant Ecological Genomics, University of Vienna, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristian Ullrich
- Plant Cell Biology, Philipps-University Marburg, 35037, Marburg, Germany
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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44
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45
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Ingouff M, Selles B, Michaud C, Vu TM, Berger F, Schorn AJ, Autran D, Van Durme M, Nowack MK, Martienssen RA, Grimanelli D. Live-cell analysis of DNA methylation during sexual reproduction in Arabidopsis reveals context and sex-specific dynamics controlled by noncanonical RdDM. Genes Dev 2017; 31:72-83. [PMID: 28115468 PMCID: PMC5287115 DOI: 10.1101/gad.289397.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 12/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Cytosine methylation is a key epigenetic mark in many organisms, important for both transcriptional control and genome integrity. While relatively stable during somatic growth, DNA methylation is reprogrammed genome-wide during mammalian reproduction. Reprogramming is essential for zygotic totipotency and to prevent transgenerational inheritance of epimutations. However, the extent of DNA methylation reprogramming in plants remains unclear. Here, we developed sensors reporting with single-cell resolution CG and non-CG methylation in Arabidopsis. Live imaging during reproduction revealed distinct and sex-specific dynamics for both contexts. We found that CHH methylation in the egg cell depends on DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLASE 2 (DRM2) and RNA polymerase V (Pol V), two main actors of RNA-directed DNA methylation, but does not depend on Pol IV. Our sensors provide insight into global DNA methylation dynamics at the single-cell level with high temporal resolution and offer a powerful tool to track CG and non-CG methylation both during development and in response to environmental cues in all organisms with methylated DNA, as we illustrate in mouse embryonic stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Ingouff
- Epigenetic Regulations and Seed Development, UMR232, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Benjamin Selles
- Epigenetic Regulations and Seed Development, UMR232, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Caroline Michaud
- Epigenetic Regulations and Seed Development, UMR232, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Thiet M Vu
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea J Schorn
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
| | - Daphné Autran
- Epigenetic Regulations and Seed Development, UMR232, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier, 34394 Montpellier, France
| | - Matthias Van Durme
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Moritz K Nowack
- Department of Plant Systems Biology, VIB, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Plant Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Ghent University, B-9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robert A Martienssen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute-Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, 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.,Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York 11724, USA
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46
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Latzel V, Rendina González AP, Rosenthal J. Epigenetic Memory as a Basis for Intelligent Behavior in Clonal Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1354. [PMID: 27630664 PMCID: PMC5006084 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Environmentally induced epigenetic change enables plants to remember past environmental interactions. If this memory capability is exploited to prepare plants for future challenges, it can provide a basis for highly sophisticated behavior, considered intelligent by some. Against the backdrop of an overview of plant intelligence, we hypothesize: (1) that the capability of plants to engage in such intelligent behavior increases with the additional level of complexity afforded by clonality, and; (2) that more faithful inheritance of epigenetic information in clonal plants, in conjunction with information exchange and coordination between connected ramets, is likely to enable especially advanced intelligent behavior in this group. We therefore further hypothesize that this behavior provides ecological and evolutionary advantages to clonal plants, possibly explaining, at least in part, their widespread success. Finally, we suggest avenues of inquiry to enable assessing intelligent behavior and the role of epigenetic memory in clonal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vít Latzel
- Institute of Botany of Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhonice, Czech Republic
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47
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Wibowo A, Becker C, Marconi G, Durr J, Price J, Hagmann J, Papareddy R, Putra H, Kageyama J, Becker J, Weigel D, Gutierrez-Marcos J. Hyperosmotic stress memory in Arabidopsis is mediated by distinct epigenetically labile sites in the genome and is restricted in the male germline by DNA glycosylase activity. eLife 2016; 5:13546. [PMID: 27242129 PMCID: PMC4887212 DOI: 10.7554/elife.13546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 190] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Inducible epigenetic changes in eukaryotes are believed to enable rapid adaptation to environmental fluctuations. We have found distinct regions of the Arabidopsis genome that are susceptible to DNA (de)methylation in response to hyperosmotic stress. The stress-induced epigenetic changes are associated with conditionally heritable adaptive phenotypic stress responses. However, these stress responses are primarily transmitted to the next generation through the female lineage due to widespread DNA glycosylase activity in the male germline, and extensively reset in the absence of stress. Using the CNI1/ATL31 locus as an example, we demonstrate that epigenetically targeted sequences function as distantly-acting control elements of antisense long non-coding RNAs, which in turn regulate targeted gene expression in response to stress. Collectively, our findings reveal that plants use a highly dynamic maternal 'short-term stress memory' with which to respond to adverse external conditions. This transient memory relies on the DNA methylation machinery and associated transcriptional changes to extend the phenotypic plasticity accessible to the immediate offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjar Wibowo
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Claude Becker
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Gianpiero Marconi
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom.,Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Julius Durr
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Price
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Jorg Hagmann
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ranjith Papareddy
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Hadi Putra
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, United Kingdom
| | - Jorge Kageyama
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Jorg Becker
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciencia, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
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48
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Uller T, English S, Pen I. When is incomplete epigenetic resetting in germ cells favoured by natural selection? Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:rspb.2015.0682. [PMID: 26136447 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Resetting of epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, in germ cells or early embryos is not always complete. Epigenetic states may therefore persist, decay or accumulate across generations. In spite of mounting empirical evidence for incomplete resetting, it is currently poorly understood whether it simply reflects stochastic noise or plays an adaptive role in phenotype determination. Here, we use a simple model to show that incomplete resetting can be adaptive in heterogeneous environments. Transmission of acquired epigenetic states prevents mismatched phenotypes when the environment changes infrequently relative to generation time and when maternal and environmental cues are unreliable. We discuss how these results may help to interpret the emerging data on transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in plants and animals.
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49
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Akkerman KC, Sattarin A, Kelly JK, Scoville AG. Transgenerational plasticity is sex-dependent and persistent in yellow monkeyflower ( Mimulus guttatus). ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2016; 2:dvw003. [PMID: 29492285 PMCID: PMC5804517 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvw003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2015] [Revised: 12/16/2015] [Accepted: 01/27/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Transgenerational phenotypic plasticity, whereby environmental cues experienced by parents alter the phenotype of their progeny, has now been documented in diverse organisms. Transmission of environmentally determined responses is known to occur through both maternal and paternal gametes, but the underlying mechanisms have rarely been compared. In addition, the persistence of induction over multiple generations appears to vary widely, but has been characterized for relatively few systems. Yellow monkeyflower (Mimulus guttatus) is known to exhibit transgenerational induction of increased glandular trichome production in response to simulated insect damage. Here, we test for differences between maternal and paternal transmission of this response and examine its persistence over five generations following damage. Maternal and paternal damage resulted in similar and apparently additive increases in progeny trichome production. Treatment of germinating seeds with the genome-wide demethylating agent 5-azacytidine erased the effect of maternal but not paternal damage. The number of glandular trichomes remained elevated for three generations following damage. These results indicate that transgenerational transmission occurs through both maternal and paternal germ lines, but that they differ in the proximate mechanism of epigenetic inheritance. Our results also indicate that a wounding response can persist for multiple generations in the absence of subsequent damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kayla C. Akkerman
- Department of Biology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
| | - Arash Sattarin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - John K. Kelly
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA
| | - Alison G. Scoville
- Department of Biology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA 98926, USA
- *Correspondence address. Department of Biology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, 400 E University Way, Ellensburg, WA, 98926. Tel: 509-963-2802. Fax: 509-963-2730 E-mail:
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Groot MP, Kooke R, Knoben N, Vergeer P, Keurentjes JJB, Ouborg NJ, Verhoeven KJF. Effects of Multi-Generational Stress Exposure and Offspring Environment on the Expression and Persistence of Transgenerational Effects in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151566. [PMID: 26982489 PMCID: PMC4794210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 03/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant phenotypes can be affected by environments experienced by their parents. Parental environmental effects are reported for the first offspring generation and some studies showed persisting environmental effects in second and further offspring generations. However, the expression of these transgenerational effects proved context-dependent and their reproducibility can be low. Here we study the context-dependency of transgenerational effects by evaluating parental and transgenerational effects under a range of parental induction and offspring evaluation conditions. We systematically evaluated two factors that can influence the expression of transgenerational effects: single- versus multiple-generation exposure and offspring environment. For this purpose, we exposed a single homozygous Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 line to salt stress for up to three generations and evaluated offspring performance under control and salt conditions in a climate chamber and in a natural environment. Parental as well as transgenerational effects were observed in almost all traits and all environments and traced back as far as great-grandparental environments. The length of exposure exerted strong effects; multiple-generation exposure often reduced the expression of the parental effect compared to single-generation exposure. Furthermore, the expression of transgenerational effects strongly depended on offspring environment for rosette diameter and flowering time, with opposite effects observed in field and greenhouse evaluation environments. Our results provide important new insights into the occurrence of transgenerational effects and contribute to a better understanding of the context-dependency of these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maartje P. Groot
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
| | - Rik Kooke
- Department of Plant Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for BioSystems Genomics, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nieke Knoben
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Philippine Vergeer
- Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Joost J. B. Keurentjes
- Department of Genetics, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for BioSystems Genomics, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - N. Joop Ouborg
- Experimental Plant Ecology, Institute for Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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