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Rahman A, Yadav NS, Byeon B, Ilnytskyy Y, Kovalchuk I. Genomic and Epigenomic Changes in the Progeny of Cold-Stressed Arabidopsis thaliana Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2795. [PMID: 38474042 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants are continuously exposed to various environmental stresses. Because they can not escape stress, they have to develop mechanisms of remembering stress exposures somatically and passing it to the progeny. We studied the Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia plants exposed to cold stress for 25 continuous generations. Our study revealed that multigenerational exposure to cold stress resulted in the changes in the genome and epigenome (DNA methylation) across generations. Main changes in the progeny were due to the high frequency of genetic mutations rather than epigenetic changes; the difference was primarily in single nucleotide substitutions and deletions. The progeny of cold-stressed plants exhibited the higher rate of missense non-synonymous mutations as compared to the progeny of control plants. At the same time, epigenetic changes were more common in the CHG (C = cytosine, H = cytosine, adenine or thymine, G = guanine) and CHH contexts and favored hypomethylation. There was an increase in the frequency of C to T (thymine) transitions at the CHH positions in the progeny of cold stressed plants; because this type of mutations is often due to the deamination of the methylated cytosines, it can be hypothesized that environment-induced changes in methylation contribute to mutagenesis and may be to microevolution processes and that RNA-dependent DNA methylation plays a crucial role. Our work supports the existence of heritable stress response in plants and demonstrates that genetic changes prevail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashif Rahman
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Narendra Singh Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Boseon Byeon
- Biomedical and Health Informatics, Computer Science Department, State University of New York, 2 S Clinton St, Syracuse, NY 13202, USA
| | - Yaroslav Ilnytskyy
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
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Zheng G, Hu S, Cheng S, Wang L, Kan L, Wang Z, Xu Q, Liu Z, Kang C. Factor of DNA methylation 1 affects woodland strawberry plant stature and organ size via DNA methylation. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:335-351. [PMID: 36200851 PMCID: PMC9806633 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is an epigenetic process that directs silencing to specific genomic regions and loci. The biological functions of RdDM are not well studied in horticultural plants. Here, we isolated the ethyl methane-sulfonate-induced mutant reduced organ size (ros) producing small leaves, flowers, and fruits in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) due to reduced cell numbers compared with that in the wild-type (WT). The candidate mutation causes a premature stop codon in FvH4_6g28780, which shares high similarity to Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Factor of DNA Methylation1 (FDM1) encoding an RdDM pathway component and was named FveFDM1. Consistently, the fvefdm1CR mutants generated by CRISPR/Cas9 also produced smaller organs. Overexpressing FveFDM1 in an Arabidopsis fdm1-1 fdm2-1 double mutant restored DNA methylation at the RdDM target loci. FveFDM1 acts in a protein complex with its homolog Involved in De Novo 2 (FveIDN2). Furthermore, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing revealed that DNA methylation, especially in the CHH context, was remarkably reduced throughout the genome in fvefdm1. Common and specific differentially expressed genes were identified in different tissues of fvefdm1 compared to in WT tissues. DNA methylation and expression levels of several gibberellic acid (GA) biosynthesis and cell cycle genes were validated. Moreover, the contents of GA and auxin were substantially reduced in the young leaves of fvefdm1 compared to in the WT. However, exogenous application of GA and auxin could not recover the organ size of fvefdm1. In addition, expression levels of FveFDM1, FveIDN2, Nuclear RNA Polymerase D1 (FveNRPD1), Domains Rearranged Methylase 2 (FveDRM2), and cell cycle genes were greatly induced by GA treatment. Overall, our work demonstrated the critical roles of FveFDM1 in plant growth and development via RdDM-mediated DNA methylation in horticultural crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
- College of Horticulture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Shaoqiang Hu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Simin Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Liyang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Lijun Kan
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhengming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Zhongchi Liu
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, Mary land 20742, USA
| | - Chunying Kang
- Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology (Ministry of Education), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, China
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Wuhan 430070, China
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Rajpal VR, Rathore P, Mehta S, Wadhwa N, Yadav P, Berry E, Goel S, Bhat V, Raina SN. Epigenetic variation: A major player in facilitating plant fitness under changing environmental conditions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1020958. [PMID: 36340045 PMCID: PMC9628676 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1020958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research in plant epigenetics has increased our understanding of how epigenetic variability can contribute to adaptive phenotypic plasticity in natural populations. Studies show that environmental changes induce epigenetic switches either independently or in complementation with the genetic variation. Although most of the induced epigenetic variability gets reset between generations and is short-lived, some variation becomes transgenerational and results in heritable phenotypic traits. The short-term epigenetic responses provide the first tier of transient plasticity required for local adaptations while transgenerational epigenetic changes contribute to stress memory and help the plants respond better to recurring or long-term stresses. These transgenerational epigenetic variations translate into an additional tier of diversity which results in stable epialleles. In recent years, studies have been conducted on epigenetic variation in natural populations related to various biological processes, ecological factors, communities, and habitats. With the advent of advanced NGS-based technologies, epigenetic studies targeting plants in diverse environments have increased manifold to enhance our understanding of epigenetic responses to environmental stimuli in facilitating plant fitness. Taking all points together in a frame, the present review is a compilation of present-day knowledge and understanding of the role of epigenetics and its fitness benefits in diverse ecological systems in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Rani Rajpal
- Department of Botany, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | | | - Sahil Mehta
- School of Agricultural Sciences, K.R. Mangalam University, Gurugram, Haryana, India
| | - Nikita Wadhwa
- University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Eapsa Berry
- Maharishi Kanad Bhawan, Delhi School of Climate Change and Sustainability, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Shailendra Goel
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | - Vishnu Bhat
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
| | - Soom Nath Raina
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India
- *Correspondence: Vijay Rani Rajpal, , ; Shailendra Goel, ; Vishnu Bhat, ; Soom Nath Raina,
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Simple Webserver-Facilitated Method to Design and Synthesize Artificial miRNA Gene and Its Application in Engineering Viral Resistance. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11162125. [PMID: 36015429 PMCID: PMC9412884 DOI: 10.3390/plants11162125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Revised: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plant viruses impose serious threats on crop production. Artificial miRNAs can mediate specific and effective gene silencing in plants and are widely used in plant gene function studies and to engineer plant viral resistance. To facilitate the design of artificial miRNA genes, we developed a webserver, AMIRdesigner, which can be used to design oligos for artificial miRNA synthesis using wild-type and permutated MIR171 and MIR164 backbones. The artificial miRNA genes designed by AMIRdesigner can be easily assembled into miRNA clusters for multiple target sites. To validate the server functionality, we designed four artificial miRNA genes targeting four conserved regions in the potato leafroll virus genome using AMIRdesigner. These genes were synthesized with the server-designed oligos and further assembled into a quadruple miRNA cluster, which was cloned into an overexpression vector and transformed into potato plants. Small RNA Northern blot and virus inoculation analyses showed that a high level of artificial miRNA expression and good viral resistance were achieved in some of the transgenic lines. These results demonstrate the utility of our webserver AMIRdesigner for engineering crop viral resistance.
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Roles of RNA silencing in viral and non-viral plant immunity and in the crosstalk between disease resistance systems. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:645-662. [PMID: 35710830 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
RNA silencing is a well-established antiviral immunity system in plants, in which small RNAs guide Argonaute proteins to targets in viral RNA or DNA, resulting in virus repression. Virus-encoded suppressors of silencing counteract this defence system. In this Review, we discuss recent findings about antiviral RNA silencing, including the movement of RNA through plasmodesmata and the differentiation between plant self and viral RNAs. We also discuss the emerging role of RNA silencing in plant immunity against non-viral pathogens. This immunity is mediated by transkingdom movement of RNA into and out of the infected plant cells in vesicles or as extracellular nucleoproteins and, like antiviral immunity, is influenced by the silencing suppressors encoded in the pathogens' genomes. Another effect of RNA silencing on general immunity involves host-encoded small RNAs, including microRNAs, that regulate NOD-like receptors and defence signalling pathways in the innate immunity system of plants. These RNA silencing pathways form a network of processes with both positive and negative effects on the immune systems of plants.
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7
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DNA methylation-free Arabidopsis reveals crucial roles of DNA methylation in regulating gene expression and development. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1335. [PMID: 35288562 PMCID: PMC8921224 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28940-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
A contribution of DNA methylation to defense against invading nucleic acids and maintenance of genome integrity is uncontested; however, our understanding of the extent of involvement of this epigenetic mark in genome-wide gene regulation and plant developmental control is incomplete. Here, we knock out all five known DNA methyltransferases in Arabidopsis, generating DNA methylation-free plants. This quintuple mutant exhibits a suite of developmental defects, unequivocally demonstrating that DNA methylation is essential for multiple aspects of plant development. We show that CG methylation and non-CG methylation are required for a plethora of biological processes, including pavement cell shape, endoreduplication, cell death, flowering, trichome morphology, vasculature and meristem development, and root cell fate determination. Moreover, we find that DNA methylation has a strong dose-dependent effect on gene expression and repression of transposable elements. Taken together, our results demonstrate that DNA methylation is dispensable for Arabidopsis survival but essential for the proper regulation of multiple biological processes. Our understanding of the extent of involvement of DNA methylation in genome-wide gene regulation and plant developmental control is incomplete. Here, the authors knock out all five known DNA methyltransferases and show the developmental and gene expression changes in the DNA methylation-free Arabidopsis plants.
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Komiya R. Spatiotemporal regulation and roles of reproductive phasiRNAs in plants. Genes Genet Syst 2021; 96:209-215. [PMID: 34759068 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.21-00042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Since co-suppression was discovered as a pioneer silencing phenomenon of RNA interference (RNAi) in petunia in 1990, many types of small RNAs have been identified in the RNAi pathway among various eukaryotes. In plants, a large number of 21- or 24-nucleotide (nt) phased small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs) are produced via processing of long RNA precursors by Dicer-like proteins. However, the roles of phasiRNAs remain largely unknown. The development of imaging technology and RNA profiling has clarified the spatiotemporal regulation of phasiRNAs, and subsequently the different functions of 21-nt trans-acting phasiRNAs and 24-nt cis-regulatory phasiRNAs during male organ development. This review focuses on the biogenesis, diversification, spatiotemporal expression pattern and function of phasiRNAs in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reina Komiya
- Science and Technology Group, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST).,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST)
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9
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Cecere G. Small RNAs in epigenetic inheritance: from mechanisms to trait transmission. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:2953-2977. [PMID: 34671979 PMCID: PMC9298081 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Inherited information is transmitted to progeny primarily by the genome through the gametes. However, in recent years, epigenetic inheritance has been demonstrated in several organisms, including animals. Although it is clear that certain post‐translational histone modifications, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNAs regulate epigenetic inheritance, the molecular mechanisms responsible for epigenetic inheritance are incompletely understood. This review focuses on the role of small RNAs in transmitting epigenetic information across generations in animals. Examples of documented cases of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance are discussed, from the silencing of transgenes to the inheritance of complex traits, such as fertility, stress responses, infections, and behavior. Experimental evidence supporting the idea that small RNAs are epigenetic molecules capable of transmitting traits across generations is highlighted, focusing on the mechanisms by which small RNAs achieve such a function. Just as the role of small RNAs in epigenetic processes is redefining the concept of inheritance, so too our understanding of the molecular pathways and mechanisms that govern epigenetic inheritance in animals is radically changing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germano Cecere
- Mechanisms of Epigenetic Inheritance, Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Institut Pasteur, UMR3738, CNRS, Paris, France
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10
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Weiner AKM, Cerón-Romero MA, Yan Y, Katz LA. Phylogenomics of the Epigenetic Toolkit Reveals Punctate Retention of Genes across Eukaryotes. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 12:2196-2210. [PMID: 33049043 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evaa198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic processes in eukaryotes play important roles through regulation of gene expression, chromatin structure, and genome rearrangements. The roles of chromatin modification (e.g., DNA methylation and histone modification) and non-protein-coding RNAs have been well studied in animals and plants. With the exception of a few model organisms (e.g., Saccharomyces and Plasmodium), much less is known about epigenetic toolkits across the remainder of the eukaryotic tree of life. Even with limited data, previous work suggested the existence of an ancient epigenetic toolkit in the last eukaryotic common ancestor. We use PhyloToL, our taxon-rich phylogenomic pipeline, to detect homologs of epigenetic genes and evaluate their macroevolutionary patterns among eukaryotes. In addition to data from GenBank, we increase taxon sampling from understudied clades of SAR (Stramenopila, Alveolata, and Rhizaria) and Amoebozoa by adding new single-cell transcriptomes from ciliates, foraminifera, and testate amoebae. We focus on 118 gene families, 94 involved in chromatin modification and 24 involved in non-protein-coding RNA processes based on the epigenetics literature. Our results indicate 1) the presence of a large number of epigenetic gene families in the last eukaryotic common ancestor; 2) differential conservation among major eukaryotic clades, with a notable paucity of genes within Excavata; and 3) punctate distribution of epigenetic gene families between species consistent with rapid evolution leading to gene loss. Together these data demonstrate the power of taxon-rich phylogenomic studies for illuminating evolutionary patterns at scales of >1 billion years of evolution and suggest that macroevolutionary phenomena, such as genome conflict, have shaped the evolution of the eukaryotic epigenetic toolkit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnes K M Weiner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Mario A Cerón-Romero
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.,Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
| | - Ying Yan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts
| | - Laura A Katz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts.,Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
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Gogolev YV, Ahmar S, Akpinar BA, Budak H, Kiryushkin AS, Gorshkov VY, Hensel G, Demchenko KN, Kovalchuk I, Mora-Poblete F, Muslu T, Tsers ID, Yadav NS, Korzun V. OMICs, Epigenetics, and Genome Editing Techniques for Food and Nutritional Security. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 10:1423. [PMID: 34371624 PMCID: PMC8309286 DOI: 10.3390/plants10071423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The incredible success of crop breeding and agricultural innovation in the last century greatly contributed to the Green Revolution, which significantly increased yields and ensures food security, despite the population explosion. However, new challenges such as rapid climate change, deteriorating soil, and the accumulation of pollutants require much faster responses and more effective solutions that cannot be achieved through traditional breeding. Further prospects for increasing the efficiency of agriculture are undoubtedly associated with the inclusion in the breeding strategy of new knowledge obtained using high-throughput technologies and new tools in the future to ensure the design of new plant genomes and predict the desired phenotype. This article provides an overview of the current state of research in these areas, as well as the study of soil and plant microbiomes, and the prospective use of their potential in a new field of microbiome engineering. In terms of genomic and phenomic predictions, we also propose an integrated approach that combines high-density genotyping and high-throughput phenotyping techniques, which can improve the prediction accuracy of quantitative traits in crop species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuri V. Gogolev
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Sunny Ahmar
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Talca, 1 Poniente 1141, Talca 3460000, Chile; (S.A.); (F.M.-P.)
| | | | - Hikmet Budak
- Montana BioAg Inc., Missoula, MT 59802, USA; (B.A.A.); (H.B.)
| | - Alexey S. Kiryushkin
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Development, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.K.); (K.N.D.)
| | - Vladimir Y. Gorshkov
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Goetz Hensel
- Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, 40225 Dusseldorf, Germany;
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacký University Olomouc, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Kirill N. Demchenko
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Plant Development, Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 197376 Saint Petersburg, Russia; (A.S.K.); (K.N.D.)
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada; (I.K.); (N.S.Y.)
| | - Freddy Mora-Poblete
- Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Talca, 1 Poniente 1141, Talca 3460000, Chile; (S.A.); (F.M.-P.)
| | - Tugdem Muslu
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Sabanci University, 34956 Istanbul, Turkey;
| | - Ivan D. Tsers
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
| | - Narendra Singh Yadav
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada; (I.K.); (N.S.Y.)
| | - Viktor Korzun
- Federal Research Center Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Plant Infectious Diseases, 420111 Kazan, Russia;
- KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA, Grimsehlstr. 31, 37555 Einbeck, Germany
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Silva WTAF, Otto SP, Immler S. Evolution of plasticity in production and transgenerational inheritance of small RNAs under dynamic environmental conditions. PLoS Genet 2021; 17:e1009581. [PMID: 34038409 PMCID: PMC8186813 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [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: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In a changing environment, small RNAs (sRNAs) play an important role in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and can vary in abundance depending on the conditions experienced by an individual (phenotypic plasticity) and its parents (non-genetic inheritance). Many sRNAs are unusual in that they can be produced in two ways, either using genomic DNA as the template (primary sRNAs) or existing sRNAs as the template (secondary sRNAs). Thus, organisms can evolve rapid plastic responses to their current environment by adjusting the amplification rate of sRNA templates. sRNA levels can also be transmitted transgenerationally by the direct transfer of either sRNAs or the proteins involved in amplification. Theory is needed to describe the selective forces acting on sRNA levels, accounting for the dual nature of sRNAs as regulatory elements and templates for amplification and for the potential to transmit sRNAs and their amplification agents to offspring. Here, we develop a model to study the dynamics of sRNA production and inheritance in a fluctuating environment. We tested the selective advantage of mutants capable of sRNA-mediated phenotypic plasticity within resident populations with fixed levels of sRNA transcription. Even when the resident was allowed to evolve an optimal constant rate of sRNA production, plastic amplification rates capable of responding to environmental conditions were favored. Mechanisms allowing sRNA transcripts or amplification agents to be inherited were favored primarily when parents and offspring face similar environments and when selection acts before the optimal level of sRNA can be reached within the organism. Our study provides a clear set of testable predictions for the evolution of sRNA-related mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity and transgenerational inheritance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sarah P. Otto
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
| | - Simone Immler
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom
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Bélanger S, Baldrich P, Lemay M, Marchand S, Esteves P, Meyers BC, Belzile F. The commitment of barley microspores into embryogenesis correlates with miRNA-directed regulation of members of the SPL, GRF and HD-ZIPIII transcription factor families. PLANT DIRECT 2020; 4:e00289. [PMID: 36406053 PMCID: PMC9671080 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Microspore embryogenesis is a model for developmental plasticity and cell fate decisions. To investigate the role of miRNAs in this development, we sequenced sRNAs and the degradome of barley microspores collected prior to (day 0) and after (days 2 and 5) the application of a stress treatment known to induce embryogenesis. Microspores isolated at these timepoints were uniform in both appearance and in their complements of sRNAs. We detected 68 miRNAs in microspores. The abundance of 51 of these miRNAs differed significantly during microspore development. One group of miRNAs was induced when the stress treatment was applied, prior to being repressed when microspores transitioned to embryogenesis. Another group of miRNAs were up-regulated in day-2 microspores and their abundance remained stable or increased in day-5 microspores, a timepoint at which the first clear indications of the transition toward embryogenesis were visible. Collectively, these miRNAs might play a role in the modulation of the stress response, the repression of gametic development, and/or the gain of embryogenic potential. A degradome analysis allowed us to validate the role of miRNAs in regulating 41 specific transcripts. We showed that the transition of microspores toward the embryogenesis pathway involves miRNA-directed regulation of members of the ARF, SPL, GRF, and HD-ZIPIII transcription factor families. We noted that 41.5% of these targets were shared between day-2 and day-5 microspores while 26.8% were unique to day-5 microspores. The former set may act to disrupt transcripts involved in pollen development while the latter set may drive the commitment to embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Bélanger
- Département de phytologie and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmesUniversité LavalQuébec CityQuébecCanada
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMOUSA
| | | | - Marc‐André Lemay
- Département de phytologie and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmesUniversité LavalQuébec CityQuébecCanada
| | - Suzanne Marchand
- Département de phytologie and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmesUniversité LavalQuébec CityQuébecCanada
| | - Patricio Esteves
- Département de phytologie and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmesUniversité LavalQuébec CityQuébecCanada
| | - Blake C. Meyers
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. LouisMOUSA
- Division of Plant SciencesUniversity of MissouriColumbiaMOUSA
| | - François Belzile
- Département de phytologie and Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmesUniversité LavalQuébec CityQuébecCanada
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Mimulus sRNAs Are Wound Responsive and Associated with Transgenerationally Plastic Genes but Rarely Both. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207552. [PMID: 33066159 PMCID: PMC7589798 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Organisms alter development in response to environmental cues. Recent studies demonstrate that they can transmit this plasticity to progeny. While the phenotypic and transcriptomic evidence for this “transgenerational plasticity” has accumulated, genetic and developmental mechanisms remain unclear. Plant defenses, gene expression and DNA methylation are modified as an outcome of parental wounding in Mimulus guttatus. Here, we sequenced M. guttatus small RNAs (sRNA) to test their possible role in mediating transgenerational plasticity. We sequenced sRNA populations of leaf-wounded and control plants at 1 h and 72 h after damage and from progeny of wounded and control parents. This allowed us to test three components of an a priori model of sRNA mediated transgenerational plasticity—(1) A subset of sRNAs will be differentially expressed in response to wounding, (2) these will be associated with previously identified differentially expressed genes and differentially methylated regions and (3) changes in sRNA abundance in wounded plants will be predictive of sRNA abundance, DNA methylation, and/or gene expression shifts in the following generation. Supporting (1) and (2), we found significantly different sRNA abundances in wounded leaves; the majority were associated with tRNA fragments (tRFs) rather than small-interfering RNAs (siRNA). However, siRNAs responding to leaf wounding point to Jasmonic Acid mediated responses in this system. We found that different sRNA classes were associated with regions of the genome previously found to be differentially expressed or methylated in progeny of wounded plants. Evidence for (3) was mixed. We found that non-dicer sRNAs with increased abundance in response to wounding tended to be nearby genes with decreased expression in the next generation. Counter to expectations, we did not find that siRNA responses to wounding were associated with gene expression or methylation changes in the next generation and within plant and transgenerational sRNA plasticity were negatively correlated.
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15
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Wang Z, Baulcombe DC. Transposon age and non-CG methylation. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1221. [PMID: 32144266 PMCID: PMC7060349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14995-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Silencing of transposable elements (TEs) is established by small RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Maintenance of silencing is then based on a combination of RdDM and RNA-independent mechanisms involving DNA methyltransferase MET1 and chromodomain DNA methyltransferases (CMTs). Involvement of RdDM, according to this model should decrease with TE age but here we show a different pattern in tomato and Arabidopsis. In these species the CMTs silence long terminal repeat (LTR) transposons in the distal chromatin that are younger than those affected by RdDM. To account for these findings we propose that, after establishment of primary RdDM as in the original model, there is an RNA-independent maintenance phase involving CMTs followed by secondary RdDM. This progression of epigenetic silencing in the gene-rich distal chromatin is likely to influence the transcriptome either in cis or in trans depending on whether the mechanisms are RNA-dependent or -independent. RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is thought to silence newly inserted transposable elements (TEs) with RNA-independent mechanisms becoming more prominent as TEs age. Here, the authors show that RdDM continues to silence the oldest intact distal TEs in tomato and Arabidopsis suggesting a second, later phase of RdDM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengming Wang
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - David C Baulcombe
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK.
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16
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Small RNA Mobility: Spread of RNA Silencing Effectors and its Effect on Developmental Processes and Stress Adaptation in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20174306. [PMID: 31484348 PMCID: PMC6747330 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20174306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants are exposed every day to multiple environmental cues, and tight transcriptome reprogramming is necessary to control the balance between responses to stress and processes of plant growth. In this context, the silencing phenomena mediated by small RNAs can drive transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory modifications, in turn shaping plant development and adaptation to the surrounding environment. Mounting experimental evidence has recently pointed to small noncoding RNAs as fundamental players in molecular signalling cascades activated upon exposure to abiotic and biotic stresses. Although, in the last decade, studies on stress responsive small RNAs increased significantly in many plant species, the physiological responses triggered by these molecules in the presence of environmental stresses need to be further explored. It is noteworthy that small RNAs can move either cell-to-cell or systemically, thus acting as mobile silencing effectors within the plant. This aspect has great importance when physiological changes, as well as epigenetic regulatory marks, are inspected in light of plant environmental adaptation. In this review, we provide an overview of the categories of mobile small RNAs in plants, particularly focusing on the biological implications of non-cell autonomous RNA silencing in the stress adaptive response and epigenetic modifications.
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17
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Learning from transgenics: Advanced gene editing technologies should also bridge the gap with traditional genetic selection. ELECTRON J BIOTECHN 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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18
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Banerjee AK, Guo W, Huang Y. Genetic and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation in invasive plants – linking research trends towards a unified framework. NEOBIOTA 2019. [DOI: 10.3897/neobiota.49.33723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic variation in the introduced range of an invasive species can be modified by genetic variation, environmental conditions and their interaction, as well as stochastic events like genetic drift. Recent studies found that epigenetic modifications may also contribute to phenotypic variation being independent of genetic changes. Despite gaining profound ecological insights from empirical studies, understanding the relative contributions of these molecular mechanisms behind phenotypic variation has received little attention for invasive plant species in particular.
This review therefore aimed at summarizing and synthesizing information on the genetic and epigenetic basis of phenotypic variation of alien invasive plants in the introduced range and their evolutionary consequences. Transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic modifications was highlighted focusing on its influence on microevolution of the invasive plant species. We presented a comprehensive account of epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation and its role in plant invasion in the presence of reduced standing genetic variation, inbreeding depression and associated genomic events which have often been observed during introduction and range expansion of an invasive alien species. Finally, taking clues from the studies conducted so far, we proposed a unified framework of future experimental approaches to understand ecological and evolutionary aspects of phenotypic variation. This holistic approach, being aligned to the invasion process in particular (introduction-establishment-spread), was intended to understand the molecular mechanisms of phenotypic variation of an invasive species in its introduced range and to disentangle the effects of standing genetic variation and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation.
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19
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Transgenerational Perpetuation of CHS Gene Expression and DNA Methylation Status Induced by Short Oligodeoxynucleotides in Flax ( Linum usitatissimum). Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20163983. [PMID: 31426274 PMCID: PMC6719086 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20163983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Over two decades ago, short oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) were proven to be an effective and rapid technique for analysis of gene function without interference in the plant genome. Our previous research has shown the successful regulation of chalcone synthase (CHS) gene expression in flax by ODN technology. The CHS gene encodes a pivotal enzyme in flavonoid biosynthesis. The manipulation of its transcript level was the result of the specific methylation status developed after treatment with ODNs. In further analysis of the application of oligodeoxynucleotides in plants, we will focus on maintaining the methylation status induced originally by ODNs homologous to the regulatory regions of the CHS gene in flax. This article reports the latest investigation applied to stabilization and inheritance of the epigenetic marks induced by plants' treatment with ODNs. The methylation status was analyzed in the particular CCGG motifs located in the CHS gene sequence. Individual plants were able to maintain alterations induced by ODNs. In order to confirm the impact of methylation marks on the nucleosome rearrangement, chromatin accessibility assay was performed. The perpetuation of targeted plant modulation induced by ODNs exhibits strong potential for improving crops and intensified application for medicine, nutrition and industry.
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20
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Zhang Y, Ramming A, Heinke L, Altschmied L, Slotkin RK, Becker JD, Kappel C, Lenhard M. The poly(A) polymerase PAPS1 interacts with the RNA-directed DNA-methylation pathway in sporophyte and pollen development. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 99:655-672. [PMID: 31009115 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
RNA-based processes play key roles in the regulation of eukaryotic gene expression. This includes both the processing of pre-mRNAs into mature mRNAs ready for translation and RNA-based silencing processes, such as RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Polyadenylation of pre-mRNAs is one important step in their processing and is carried out by three functionally specialized canonical nuclear poly(A) polymerases in Arabidopsis thaliana. Null mutations in one of these, termed PAPS1, result in a male gametophytic defect. Using a fluorescence-labelling strategy, we have characterized this defect in more detail using RNA and small-RNA sequencing. In addition to global defects in the expression of pollen-differentiation genes, paps1 null-mutant pollen shows a strong overaccumulation of transposable element (TE) transcripts, yet a depletion of 21- and particularly 24-nucleotide-long short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) targeting the corresponding TEs. Double-mutant analyses support a specific functional interaction between PAPS1 and components of the RdDM pathway, as evident from strong synergistic phenotypes in mutant combinations involving paps1, but not paps2 paps4, mutations. In particular, the double-mutant of paps1 and rna-dependent rna polymerase 6 (rdr6) shows a synergistic developmental phenotype disrupting the formation of the transmitting tract in the female gynoecium. Thus, our findings in A. thaliana uncover a potentially general link between canonical poly(A) polymerases as components of mRNA processing and RdDM, reflecting an analogous interaction in fission yeast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunming Zhang
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Anna Ramming
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Lisa Heinke
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Lothar Altschmied
- Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzengenetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung, Corrensstrasse 3, D-06466 Seeland, OT, Gatersleben, Germany
| | - R Keith Slotkin
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, 975 North Warson Road, St Louis, MO, 63132, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA
| | - Jörg D Becker
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Rua da Quinta Grande, 6, 2780-156, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Christian Kappel
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Michael Lenhard
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Karl-Liebknecht-Str. 24-25, D-14476, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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21
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Martinez Palacios P, Jacquemot MP, Tapie M, Rousselet A, Diop M, Remoué C, Falque M, Lloyd A, Jenczewski E, Lassalle G, Chévre AM, Lelandais C, Crespi M, Brabant P, Joets J, Alix K. Assessing the Response of Small RNA Populations to Allopolyploidy Using Resynthesized Brassica napus Allotetraploids. Mol Biol Evol 2019; 36:709-726. [PMID: 30657939 PMCID: PMC6445299 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msz007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Allopolyploidy, combining interspecific hybridization with whole genome duplication, has had significant impact on plant evolution. Its evolutionary success is related to the rapid and profound genome reorganizations that allow neoallopolyploids to form and adapt. Nevertheless, how neoallopolyploid genomes adapt to regulate their expression remains poorly understood. The hypothesis of a major role for small noncoding RNAs (sRNAs) in mediating the transcriptional response of neoallopolyploid genomes has progressively emerged. Generally, 21-nt sRNAs mediate posttranscriptional gene silencing by mRNA cleavage, whereas 24-nt sRNAs repress transcription (transcriptional gene silencing) through epigenetic modifications. Here, we characterize the global response of sRNAs to allopolyploidy in Brassica, using three independently resynthesized Brassica napus allotetraploids originating from crosses between diploid Brassica oleracea and Brassica rapa accessions, surveyed at two different generations in comparison with their diploid progenitors. Our results suggest an immediate but transient response of specific sRNA populations to allopolyploidy. These sRNA populations mainly target noncoding components of the genome but also target the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in response to stresses and in metabolism; this suggests a broad role in adapting to allopolyploidy. We finally identify the early accumulation of both 21- and 24-nt sRNAs involved in regulating the same targets, supporting a posttranscriptional gene silencing to transcriptional gene silencing shift at the first stages of the neoallopolyploid formation. We propose that reorganization of sRNA production is an early response to allopolyploidy in order to control the transcriptional reactivation of various noncoding elements and stress-related genes, thus ensuring genome stability during the first steps of neoallopolyploid formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Martinez Palacios
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Jacquemot
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.,Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, France
| | - Marion Tapie
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Agnès Rousselet
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Mamoudou Diop
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Carine Remoué
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Matthieu Falque
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Andrew Lloyd
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, France
| | - Eric Jenczewski
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRA, AgroParisTech, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Versailles, France
| | - Gilles Lassalle
- IGEPP, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Univ. Rennes I, Le Rheu, France.,ESE, INRA, Agrocampus Ouest, Rennes, France
| | | | - Christine Lelandais
- IPS2, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRA, Universités Paris Diderot, Paris Sud and Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Martin Crespi
- IPS2, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRA, Universités Paris Diderot, Paris Sud and Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Philippe Brabant
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Johann Joets
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Karine Alix
- GQE - Le Moulon, INRA, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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22
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New clues into the mechanisms of rice domestication. J Biosci 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-019-9844-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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23
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Swetha C, Basu D, Pachamuthu K, Tirumalai V, Nair A, Prasad M, Shivaprasad PV. Major Domestication-Related Phenotypes in Indica Rice Are Due to Loss of miRNA-Mediated Laccase Silencing. THE PLANT CELL 2018; 30:2649-2662. [PMID: 30341147 PMCID: PMC6305975 DOI: 10.1105/tpc.18.00472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Domestication of rice (Oryza sativa) included conversion of perennial wild species with few seeds to short plants that produced abundant seeds. Most domestication-associated changes were due to variations in transcription factors and other key proteins such as enzymes. Here, we show that multiple yield-related traits associated with indica rice domestication are linked to micro (mi) RNA-mediated regulation. Analysis of small (s) RNA data sets from cultivated indica rice lines, a few landraces, and two wild relatives of rice revealed the presence of abundant 22-nucleotide (nt) reads in wild relatives that mapped to miR397 precursors. miR397 was expressed at very high levels in wild relatives and at negligible levels in high-yielding cultivated lines. In its genera-specific form of 22-nt, miR397 targeted mRNAs encoding laccases that decayed and induced robust secondary cascade silencing in wild species that required RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 6. In wild species of rice, reduced expression of laccases resulted in low lignification. As expected, overexpression of miR397 induced de-domestication phenotypes. At least 26 uncharacterized QTLs previously implicated in rice yield overlapped with laccases and miR397 genes. These results suggest that miRNAs contribute to rice domestication-associated phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenna Swetha
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
- SASTRA University, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, 613401, India
| | - Debjani Basu
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Kannan Pachamuthu
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Varsha Tirumalai
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
- SASTRA University, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, 613401, India
| | - Ashwin Nair
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
- SASTRA University, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, 613401, India
| | - Melvin Prasad
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - P V Shivaprasad
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
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24
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Yu N, Cao L, Yuan L, Zhi X, Chen Y, Gan S, Chen L. Maintenance of grafting-induced epigenetic variations in the asexual progeny of Brassica oleracea and B. juncea chimera. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 96:22-38. [PMID: 30086201 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14058] [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: 04/17/2018] [Revised: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Grafting-induced variations have been observed in many plant species, but the heritability of variation in progeny is not well understood. In our study, adventitious shoots from the C cell lineage of shoot apical meristem (SAM) grafting chimera TCC (where the origin of the outmost, middle and innermost cell layers, respectively, of SAM is designated by 'T' for tuber mustard and 'C' for red cabbage) were induced and identified as r-CCC (r = regenerated). To investigate the maintenance of grafting variations during cell propagation and regeneration, different generations of asexual progeny (r-CCCn, n = generation) were established through successive regeneration of axillary shoots from r-CCC. The fourth generation of r-CCC (r-CCC4) was selected to perform whole genome bisulfite sequencing for comparative analysis of hetero-grafting-induced global methylation changes relative to r-s-CCC4 (s = self-grafting). Increased CHH methylation levels and proportions were observed in r-CCC4, with substantial changes occurring in the repeat elements. Small RNA sequencing revealed 1135 specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) tags that were typically expressed in r-CCC, r-CCC2 and r-CCC4. Notably, 65% of these specific siRNAs were associated with repeat elements, termed RE siRNAs. Subsequent analysis revealed that the CHH methylation of RE siRNA-overlapping regions was mainly hypermethylation in r-CCC4, indicating that they were responsible for directing and maintaining grafting-induced CHH methylation. Moreover, the expression of 13 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) correlated with the phenotypic variation, showing differential expression levels between r-CCC4 and r-s-CCC4. These DMGs were predominantly CG hypermethylated, their methylation modifications corresponded to the transcription of relative methyltransferase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ningning Yu
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Liwen Cao
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Lu Yuan
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Xiao Zhi
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yiqian Chen
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Susheng Gan
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Liping Chen
- Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
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25
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Taller D, Bálint J, Gyula P, Nagy T, Barta E, Baksa I, Szittya G, Taller J, Havelda Z. Expansion of Capsicum annuum fruit is linked to dynamic tissue-specific differential expression of miRNA and siRNA profiles. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200207. [PMID: 30044813 PMCID: PMC6059424 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Small regulatory RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) have emerged as important transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulators controlling a wide variety of physiological processes including fruit development. Data are, however, limited for their potential roles in developmental processes determining economically important traits of crops. The current study aimed to discover and characterize differentially expressed miRNAs and siRNAs in sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum) during fruit expansion. High-throughput sequencing was employed to determine the small regulatory RNA expression profiles in various fruit tissues, such as placenta, seed, and flesh at 28 and 40 days after anthesis. Comparative differential expression analyses of conserved, already described and our newly predicted pepper-specific miRNAs revealed that fruit expansion is accompanied by an increasing level of miRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression. Accordingly, ARGONAUTE1 protein, the primary executor of miRNA-mediated regulation, continuously accumulated to an extremely high level in the flesh. We also identified numerous pepper-specific, heterochromatin-associated 24-nt siRNAs (hetsiRNAs) which were extremely abundant in the seeds, as well as 21-nt and 24-nt phased siRNAs (phasiRNAs) that were expressed mainly in the placenta and the seeds. This work provides comprehensive tissue-specific miRNA and siRNA expression landscape for a developing pepper fruit. We identified several novel, abundantly expressing tissue- and pepper-specific small regulatory RNA species. Our data show that fruit expansion is associated with extensive changes in sRNA abundance, raising the possibility that manipulation of sRNA pathways may be employed to improve the quality and quantity of the pepper fruit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dénes Taller
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Jeannette Bálint
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Péter Gyula
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Tibor Nagy
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Endre Barta
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - Ivett Baksa
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - György Szittya
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
| | - János Taller
- Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Georgikon Faculty, University of Pannonia, Keszthely, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Havelda
- National Agricultural Research and Innovation Centre, Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Gödöllő, Hungary
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26
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Preite V, Oplaat C, Biere A, Kirschner J, van der Putten WH, Verhoeven KJF. Increased transgenerational epigenetic variation, but not predictable epigenetic variants, after environmental exposure in two apomictic dandelion lineages. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:3047-3059. [PMID: 29531716 PMCID: PMC5838036 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.3871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Revised: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is one of the mechanisms underlying epigenetic modifications. DNA methylations can be environmentally induced and such induced modifications can at times be transmitted to successive generations. However, it remains speculative how common such environmentally induced transgenerational DNA methylation changes are and if they persist for more than one offspring generation. We exposed multiple accessions of two different apomictic dandelion lineages of the Taraxacum officinale group (Taraxacum alatum and T. hemicyclum) to drought and salicylic acid (SA) treatment. Using methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism markers (MS-AFLPs) we screened anonymous methylation changes at CCGG restriction sites throughout the genome after stress treatments and assessed the heritability of induced changes for two subsequent unexposed offspring generations. Irrespective of the initial stress treatment, a clear buildup of heritable DNA methylation variation was observed across three generations, indicating a considerable background rate of heritable epimutations. Less evidence was detected for environmental effects. Drought stress showed some evidence for accession-specific methylation changes, but only in the exposed generation and not in their offspring. By contrast, SA treatment caused an increased rate of methylation change in offspring of treated plants. These changes were seemingly undirected resulting in increased transgenerational epigenetic variation between offspring individuals, but not in predictable epigenetic variants. While the functional consequences of these MS-AFLP-detected DNA methylation changes remain to be demonstrated, our study shows that (1) stress-induced transgenerational DNA methylation modification in dandelions is genotype and context-specific; and (2) inherited environmental DNA methylation effects are mostly undirected and not targeted to specific loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Preite
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Carla Oplaat
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Arjen Biere
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Jan Kirschner
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhoniceCzech Republic
| | - Wim H. van der Putten
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen UniversityWageningenThe Netherlands
| | - Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)WageningenThe Netherlands
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27
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Sudan J, Raina M, Singh R. Plant epigenetic mechanisms: role in abiotic stress and their generational heritability. 3 Biotech 2018; 8:172. [PMID: 29556426 PMCID: PMC5845050 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-018-1202-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2017] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants have evolved various defense mechanisms including morphological adaptations, cellular pathways, specific signalling molecules and inherent immunity to endure various abiotic stresses during different growth stages. Most of the defense mechanisms are controlled by stress-responsive genes by transcribing and translating specific genes. However, certain modifications of DNA and chromatin along with small RNA-based mechanisms have also been reported to regulate the expression of stress-responsive genes and constitute another line of defense for plants in their struggle against stresses. More recently, studies have suggested that these modifications are heritable to the future generations as well, thereby indicating their possible role in the evolutionary mechanisms related to abiotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jebi Sudan
- School of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha, Jammu and Kashmir India
| | - Meenakshi Raina
- School of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha, Jammu and Kashmir India
| | - Ravinder Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu, Chatha, Jammu and Kashmir India
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Verhoeven KJF, Verbon EH, van Gurp TP, Oplaat C, Ferreira de Carvalho J, Morse AM, Stahl M, Macel M, McIntyre LM. Intergenerational environmental effects: functional signals in offspring transcriptomes and metabolomes after parental jasmonic acid treatment in apomictic dandelion. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 217:871-882. [PMID: 29034954 PMCID: PMC5741498 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Parental environments can influence offspring traits. However, the magnitude of the impact of parental environments on offspring molecular phenotypes is poorly understood. Here, we test the direct effects and intergenerational effects of jasmonic acid (JA) treatment, which is involved in herbivory-induced defense signaling, on transcriptomes and metabolomes in apomictic common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). In a full factorial crossed design with parental and offspring JA and control treatments, we performed leaf RNA-seq gene expression analysis, LC-MS metabolomics and total phenolics assays in offspring plants. Expression analysis, leveraged by a de novo assembled transcriptome, revealed an induced response to JA exposure that is consistent with known JA effects. The intergenerational effect of treatment was considerable: 307 of 858 detected JA-responsive transcripts were affected by parental JA treatment. In terms of the numbers of metabolites affected, the magnitude of the chemical response to parental JA exposure was c. 10% of the direct JA treatment response. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses both identified the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway as a target of intergenerational JA effects. Our results highlight that parental environments can have substantial effects in offspring generations. Transcriptome and metabolome assays provide a basis for zooming in on the potential mechanisms of inherited JA effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen J. F. Verhoeven
- Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)Droevendaalsesteeg 10Wageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Eline H. Verbon
- Plant–Microbe InteractionsUtrecht UniversityPadualaan 6Utrechtthe Netherlands
| | - Thomas P. van Gurp
- Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)Droevendaalsesteeg 10Wageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Carla Oplaat
- Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)Droevendaalsesteeg 10Wageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Julie Ferreira de Carvalho
- Terrestrial EcologyNetherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO‐KNAW)Droevendaalsesteeg 10Wageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Alison M. Morse
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and the Genetics InstituteUniversity of Florida2033 Mowry RoadGainesvilleFL32610USA
| | - Mark Stahl
- Center for Plant Molecular BiologyTübingen UniversityAuf der Morgenstelle 32TübingenD‐72076Germany
| | - Mirka Macel
- Molecular Interaction EcologyDepartment of Plant ScienceRadboud University NijmegenPO Box 9010Nijmegen6500 NLthe Netherlands
| | - Lauren M. McIntyre
- Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, and the Genetics InstituteUniversity of Florida2033 Mowry RoadGainesvilleFL32610USA
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29
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Hardcastle TJ. Methods for discovering genomic loci exhibiting complex patterns of differential methylation. BMC Bioinformatics 2017; 18:416. [PMID: 28923005 PMCID: PMC5604413 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-017-1836-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cytosine methylation is widespread in most eukaryotic genomes and is known to play a substantial role in various regulatory pathways. Unmethylated cytosines may be converted to uracil through the addition of sodium bisulphite, allowing genome-wide quantification of cytosine methylation via high-throughput sequencing. The data thus acquired allows the discovery of methylation 'loci'; contiguous regions of methylation consistently methylated across biological replicates. The mapping of these loci allows for associations with other genomic factors to be identified, and for analyses of differential methylation to take place. RESULTS The segmentSeq R package is extended to identify methylation loci from high-throughput sequencing data from multiple experimental conditions. A statistical model is then developed that accounts for biological replication and variable rates of non-conversion of cytosines in each sample to compute posterior likelihoods of methylation at each locus within an empirical Bayesian framework. The same model is used as a basis for analysis of differential methylation between multiple experimental conditions with the baySeq R package. We demonstrate the capability of this method to analyse complex data sets in an analysis of data derived from multiple Dicer-like mutants in Arabidopsis. This reveals several novel behaviours at distinct sets of loci in response to loss of one or more of the Dicer-like proteins that indicate an antagonistic relationship between the Dicer-like proteins at at least some methylation loci. Finally, we show in simulation studies that this approach can be significantly more powerful in the detection of differential methylation than many existing methods in data derived from both mammalian and plant systems. CONCLUSIONS The methods developed here make it possible to analyse high-throughput sequencing of the methylome of any given organism under a diverse set of experimental conditions. The methods are able to identify methylation loci and evaluate the likelihood that a region is truly methylated under any given experimental condition, allowing for downstream analyses that characterise differences between methylated and non-methylated regions of the genome. Futhermore, diverse patterns of differential methylation may also be characterised from these data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Hardcastle
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK.
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30
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Yakovlev IA, Fossdal CG. In Silico Analysis of Small RNAs Suggest Roles for Novel and Conserved miRNAs in the Formation of Epigenetic Memory in Somatic Embryos of Norway Spruce. Front Physiol 2017; 8:674. [PMID: 28943851 PMCID: PMC5596105 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic memory in Norway spruce affects the timing of bud burst and bud set, vitally important adaptive traits for this long-lived forest species. Epigenetic memory is established in response to the temperature conditions during embryogenesis. Somatic embryogenesis at different epitype inducing (EpI) temperatures closely mimics the natural processes of epigenetic memory formation in seeds, giving rise to epigenetically different clonal plants in a reproducible and predictable manner, with respect to altered bud phenology. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and other small non-coding RNAs (sRNAs) play an essential role in the regulation of plant gene expression and may affect this epigenetic mechanism. We used NGS sequencing and computational in silico methods to identify and profile conserved and novel miRNAs among small RNAs in embryogenic tissues of Norway spruce at three EpI temperatures (18, 23 and 28°C). We detected three predominant classes of sRNAs related to a length of 24 nt, followed by a 21–22 nt class and a third 31 nt class of sRNAs. More than 2100 different miRNAs within the prevailing length 21–22 nt were identified. Profiling these putative miRNAs allowed identification of 1053 highly expressed miRNAs, including 523 conserved and 530 novels. 654 of these miRNAs were found to be differentially expressed (DEM) depending on EpI temperature. For most DEMs, we defined their putative mRNA targets. The targets represented mostly by transcripts of multiple-repeats proteins, like TIR, NBS-LRR, PPR and TPR repeat, Clathrin/VPS proteins, Myb-like, AP2, etc. Notably, 124 DE miRNAs targeted 203 differentially expressed epigenetic regulators. Developing Norway spruce embryos possess a more complex sRNA structure than that reported for somatic tissues. A variety of the predicted miRNAs showed distinct EpI temperature dependent expression patterns. These putative EpI miRNAs target spruce genes with a wide range of functions, including genes known to be involved in epigenetic regulation, which in turn could provide a feedback process leading to the formation of epigenetic marks. We suggest that TIR, NBS and LRR domain containing proteins could fulfill more general functions for signal transduction from external environmental stimuli and conversion them into molecular response. Fine-tuning of the miRNA production likely participates in both developmental regulation and epigenetic memory formation in Norway spruce.
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31
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Tan H, Liu T, Zhang J, Zhou T. Random positioning of nucleosomes enhances heritable bistability. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2017; 13:132-141. [PMID: 27833942 DOI: 10.1039/c6mb00729e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal regions are often dynamically modified by histones, leading to the uncertainty of nucleosome positions. Experiments have provided evidence for this randomness, but it is unclear how it impacts epigenetic heritability. Here, by analyzing a mechanic model at the molecular level, which considers three representative types of nucleosomes (unmodified, methylated, and acetylated) and dynamic nucleosome modifications, we find that in contrast to the equidistance partition of nucleosomes, random partition can significantly enhance heritable bistability. Moreover, the more "chaotic" the nucleosome positions are, the better the heritable bistability is, in contrast to the previous view. In both cases of nucleosome positioning, heritable bistability occurs only when the total nucleosome number is beyond a threshold, and it depends strongly on the allocation rate that enzymes regulate transitions between different nucleosome types. Thus, we conclude that random positioning of nucleosomes is an unneglectable factor impacting heritable bistability. A point worth mentioning is that our model established on a master equation can easily be extended to include other more complex processes underlying dynamic nucleosome modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Tan
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China. and School of Mathematics and Computational Science, Xiangtan University, XiangTan 411105, P. R. China
| | - Tuoqi Liu
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China.
| | - Jiajun Zhang
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China.
| | - Tianshou Zhou
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, P. R. China.
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32
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Tailing and degradation of Argonaute-bound small RNAs protect the genome from uncontrolled RNAi. Nat Commun 2017; 8:15332. [PMID: 28541282 PMCID: PMC5458512 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNAi is a conserved mechanism in which small RNAs induce silencing of complementary targets. How Argonaute-bound small RNAs are targeted for degradation is not well understood. We show that the adenyl-transferase Cid14, a member of the TRAMP complex, and the uridyl-transferase Cid16 add non-templated nucleotides to Argonaute-bound small RNAs in fission yeast. The tailing of Argonaute-bound small RNAs recruits the 3'-5' exonuclease Rrp6 to degrade small RNAs. Failure in degradation of Argonaute-bound small RNAs results in accumulation of 'noise' small RNAs on Argonaute and targeting of diverse euchromatic genes by RNAi. To protect themselves from uncontrolled RNAi, cid14Δ cells exploit the RNAi machinery and silence genes essential for RNAi itself, which is required for their viability. Our data indicate that surveillance of Argonaute-bound small RNAs by Cid14/Cid16 and the exosome protects the genome from uncontrolled RNAi and reveal a rapid RNAi-based adaptation to stress conditions.
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Brönner C, Salvi L, Zocco M, Ugolini I, Halic M. Accumulation of RNA on chromatin disrupts heterochromatic silencing. Genome Res 2017; 27:1174-1183. [PMID: 28404620 PMCID: PMC5495069 DOI: 10.1101/gr.216986.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a conserved role in regulating gene expression, chromatin dynamics, and cell differentiation. They serve as a platform for RNA interference (RNAi)–mediated heterochromatin formation or DNA methylation in many eukaryotic organisms. We found in Schizosaccharomyces pombe that heterochromatin is lost at transcribed regions in the absence of RNA degradation. We show that heterochromatic RNAs are retained on chromatin, form DNA:RNA hybrids, and need to be degraded by the Ccr4-Not complex or RNAi to maintain heterochromatic silencing. The Ccr4-Not complex is localized to chromatin independently of H3K9me and degrades chromatin-associated transcripts, which is required for transcriptional silencing. Overexpression of heterochromatic RNA, but not euchromatic RNA, leads to chromatin localization and loss of silencing of a distant ade6 reporter in wild-type cells. Our results demonstrate that chromatin-bound RNAs disrupt heterochromatin organization and need to be degraded in a process of heterochromatin formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cornelia Brönner
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Luca Salvi
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Manuel Zocco
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ilaria Ugolini
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Mario Halic
- Department of Biochemistry, Gene Center, University of Munich (LMU), 81377 Munich, Germany
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34
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35
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Liu S, Yoder JI. Chemical induction of hairpin RNAi molecules to silence vital genes in plant roots. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37711. [PMID: 27898105 PMCID: PMC5127191 DOI: 10.1038/srep37711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the functions encoded by plant genes can be facilitated by reducing transcript levels by hairpin RNA (hpRNA) mediated silencing. A bottleneck to this technology occurs when a gene encodes a phenotype that is necessary for cell viability and silencing the gene inhibits transformation. Here we compared the use of two chemically inducible plant promoter systems to drive hpRNA mediated gene silencing in transgenic, hairy roots. We cloned the gene encoding the Yellow Fluorescence Protein (YFP) into the dexamethasone inducible vector pOpOff2 and into the estradiol induced vector pER8. We then cloned a hpRNA targeting YFP under the regulation of the inducible promoters, transformed Medicago truncatula roots, and quantified YFP fluorescence and mRNA levels. YFP fluorescence was normal in pOpOff2 transformed roots without dexamethasone but was reduced with dexamethasone treatment. Interestingly, dexamethasone removal did not reverse YFP inhibition. YFP expression in roots transformed with pER8 was low even in the absence of inducer. We used the dexamethasone system to silence acetyl-CoA carboxylase gene and observed prolific root growth when this construct was transformed into Medicago until dexamethasone was applied. Our study shows that dexamethasone inducibility can be useful to silence vital genes in transgenic roots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siming Liu
- Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - John I. Yoder
- Plant Sciences Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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36
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De Francesco A, Costa N, García ML. Citrus psorosis virus coat protein-derived hairpin construct confers stable transgenic resistance in citrus against psorosis A and B syndromes. Transgenic Res 2016; 26:225-235. [PMID: 27891561 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-016-0001-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV) is the causal agent of psorosis, a serious and widespread citrus disease. Two syndromes of psorosis, PsA and PsB, have been described. PsB is the most aggressive and rampant form. Previously, we obtained Pineapple sweet orange plants transformed with a hairpin construct derived from the CPsV coat protein gene (ihpCP). Some of these plants were resistant to CPsV 90-1-1, a PsA isolate homologous to the transgene. In this study, we found that expression of the ihpCP transgene and siRNA production in lines ihpCP-10 and -15 were stable with time and propagation. In particular, line ihpCP-15 has been resistant for more than 2 years, even after re-inoculation. The ihpCP plants were also resistant against a heterologous CPsV isolate that causes severe PsB syndrome. Line ihpCP-15 manifested complete resistance while line ihpCP-10 was tolerant to the virus, although with variable behaviour, showing delay and attenuation in PsB symptoms. These lines are promising for a biotech product aimed at eradicating psorosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- A De Francesco
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, CCT-La Plata, CONICET - UNLP, calles 47 y 115, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - N Costa
- Estación Experimental Agropecuaria, INTA Concordia, Ruta Provincial 22 y vías del Ferrocarril, 3200, Concordia, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - M L García
- Instituto de Biotecnología y Biología Molecular, CCT-La Plata, CONICET - UNLP, calles 47 y 115, 1900, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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37
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A New Mechanism for Mendelian Dominance in Regulatory Genetic Pathways: Competitive Binding by Transcription Factors. Genetics 2016; 205:101-112. [PMID: 27866169 DOI: 10.1534/genetics.116.195255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We report a new mechanism for allelic dominance in regulatory genetic interactions that we call binding dominance. We investigated a biophysical model of gene regulation, where the fractional occupancy of a transcription factor (TF) on the cis-regulated promoter site it binds to is determined by binding energy (-ΔG) and TF dosage. Transcription and gene expression proceed when the TF is bound to the promoter. In diploids, individuals may be heterozygous at the cis-site, at the TF's coding region, or at the TF's own promoter, which determines allele-specific dosage. We find that when the TF's coding region is heterozygous, TF alleles compete for occupancy at the cis-sites and the tighter-binding TF is dominant in proportion to the difference in binding strength. When the TF's own promoter is heterozygous, the TF produced at the higher dosage is also dominant. Cis-site heterozygotes have additive expression and therefore codominant phenotypes. Binding dominance propagates to affect the expression of downstream loci and it is sensitive in both magnitude and direction to genetic background, but its detectability often attenuates. While binding dominance is inevitable at the molecular level, it is difficult to detect in the phenotype under some biophysical conditions, more so when TF dosage is high and allele-specific binding affinities are similar. A body of empirical research on the biophysics of TF binding demonstrates the plausibility of this mechanism of dominance, but studies of gene expression under competitive binding in heterozygotes in a diversity of genetic backgrounds are needed.
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38
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Liu H, Able AJ, Able JA. SMARTER De-Stressed Cereal Breeding. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 21:909-925. [PMID: 27514453 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2016.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
In cereal breeding programs, improved yield potential and stability are ultimate goals when developing new varieties. To facilitate achieving these goals, reproductive success under stressful growing conditions is of the highest priority. In recent times, small RNA (sRNA)-mediated pathways have been associated with the regulation of genes involved in stress adaptation and reproduction in both model plants and several cereals. Reproductive and physiological traits such as flowering time, reproductive branching, and root architecture can be manipulated by sRNA regulatory modules. We review sRNA-mediated pathways that could be exploited to expand crop diversity with adaptive traits and, in particular, the development of high-yielding stress-tolerant cereals: SMARTER cereal breeding through 'Small RNA-Mediated Adaptation of Reproductive Targets in Epigenetic Regulation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haipei Liu
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia
| | - Amanda J Able
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia
| | - Jason A Able
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, University of Adelaide, Waite Research Institute, PMB 1, Glen Osmond, South Australia 5064, Australia.
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39
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Yau S, Hemon C, Derelle E, Moreau H, Piganeau G, Grimsley N. A Viral Immunity Chromosome in the Marine Picoeukaryote, Ostreococcus tauri. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005965. [PMID: 27788272 PMCID: PMC5082852 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Micro-algae of the genus Ostreococcus and related species of the order Mamiellales are globally distributed in the photic zone of world's oceans where they contribute to fixation of atmospheric carbon and production of oxygen, besides providing a primary source of nutrition in the food web. Their tiny size, simple cells, ease of culture, compact genomes and susceptibility to the most abundant large DNA viruses in the sea render them attractive as models for integrative marine biology. In culture, spontaneous resistance to viruses occurs frequently. Here, we show that virus-producing resistant cell lines arise in many independent cell lines during lytic infections, but over two years, more and more of these lines stop producing viruses. We observed sweeping over-expression of all genes in more than half of chromosome 19 in resistant lines, and karyotypic analyses showed physical rearrangements of this chromosome. Chromosome 19 has an unusual genetic structure whose equivalent is found in all of the sequenced genomes in this ecologically important group of green algae. We propose that chromosome 19 of O. tauri is specialized in defence against viral attack, a constant threat for all planktonic life, and that the most likely cause of resistance is the over-expression of numerous predicted glycosyltransferase genes. O. tauri thus provides an amenable model for molecular analysis of genome evolution under environmental stress and for investigating glycan-mediated host-virus interactions, such as those seen in herpes, influenza, HIV, PBCV and mimivirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheree Yau
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Claire Hemon
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Evelyne Derelle
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Hervé Moreau
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Gwenaël Piganeau
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
| | - Nigel Grimsley
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Biologie Intégrative des Organismes Marins (BIOM, UMR 7232), Observatoire Océanologique, Banyuls sur Mer, France
- * E-mail:
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Deuschle K, Kepp G, Jeske H. Differential methylation of the circular DNA in geminiviral minichromosomes. Virology 2016; 499:243-258. [PMID: 27716464 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2016.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Revised: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Geminiviral minichromosomes were purified to explore epigenetic modifications. The levels of methylation in their covalently closed circular DNA were examined with the help of methylation-dependent restriction (MdR). DNA with 12 superhelical turns was preferentially modified, indicating minichromosomes with 12 nucleosomes leaving an open gap. MdR digestion yielded a specific product of genomic length, which was cloned and Sanger-sequenced, or amplified following ligation-mediated rolling circle amplification and deep-sequenced (circomics). The conventional approach revealed a single cleavage product indicating specific methylations at the borders of the common region. The circomics approach identified considerably more MdR sites in a preferential distance to each other of ~200 nts, which is the DNA length in a nucleosome. They accumulated in regions of nucleosome-free gaps, but scattered also along the genomic components. These results may hint at a function in specific gene regulation, as well as in virus resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Deuschle
- Institut für Biomaterialien und biomolekulare Systeme, Abteilung für Molekularbiologie und Virologie der Pflanzen, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Gabi Kepp
- Institut für Biomaterialien und biomolekulare Systeme, Abteilung für Molekularbiologie und Virologie der Pflanzen, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Holger Jeske
- Institut für Biomaterialien und biomolekulare Systeme, Abteilung für Molekularbiologie und Virologie der Pflanzen, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany.
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Palma-Martínez I, Guerrero-Mandujano A, Ruiz-Ruiz MJ, Hernández-Cortez C, Molina-López J, Bocanegra-García V, Castro-Escarpulli G. Active Shiga-Like Toxin Produced by Some Aeromonas spp., Isolated in Mexico City. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:1552. [PMID: 27757103 PMCID: PMC5048074 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.01552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA silencing is a conserved mechanism that utilizes small RNAs (sRNAs) to direct the regulation of gene expression at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level. Plants utilizing RNA silencing machinery to defend pathogen infection was first identified in plant–virus interaction and later was observed in distinct plant–pathogen interactions. RNA silencing is not only responsible for suppressing RNA accumulation and movement of virus and viroid, but also facilitates plant immune responses against bacterial, oomycete, and fungal infection. Interestingly, even the same plant sRNA can perform different roles when encounters with different pathogens. On the other side, pathogens counteract by generating sRNAs that directly regulate pathogen gene expression to increase virulence or target host genes to facilitate pathogen infection. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of the characterization and biogenesis of host- and pathogen-derived sRNAs, as well as the different RNA silencing machineries that plants utilize to defend against different pathogens. The functions of these sRNAs in defense and counter-defense and their mechanisms for regulation during different plant–pathogen interactions are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Palma-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Andrea Guerrero-Mandujano
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Manuel J Ruiz-Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico NacionalMexico City, Mexico; Laboratorio Central de Análisis Clínicos Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Pediatría "Silvestre Frenk Freund," Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXIMexico City, Mexico
| | - Cecilia Hernández-Cortez
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico NacionalMexico City, Mexico; Laboratorio de Bioquímica Microbiana, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico NacionalMexico City, Mexico
| | - José Molina-López
- Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Graciela Castro-Escarpulli
- Laboratorio de Bacteriología Médica, Departamento de Microbiología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional Mexico City, Mexico
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Braguy J, Zurbriggen MD. Synthetic strategies for plant signalling studies: molecular toolbox and orthogonal platforms. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 87:118-38. [PMID: 27227549 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.13218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants deploy a wide array of signalling networks integrating environmental cues with growth, defence and developmental responses. The high level of complexity, redundancy and connection between several pathways hampers a comprehensive understanding of involved functional and regulatory mechanisms. The implementation of synthetic biology approaches is revolutionizing experimental biology in prokaryotes, yeasts and animal systems and can likewise contribute to a new era in plant biology. This review gives an overview on synthetic biology approaches for the development and implementation of synthetic molecular tools and techniques to interrogate, understand and control signalling events in plants, ranging from strategies for the targeted manipulation of plant genomes up to the spatiotemporally resolved control of gene expression using optogenetic approaches. We also describe strategies based on the partial reconstruction of signalling pathways in orthogonal platforms, like yeast, animal and in vitro systems. This allows a targeted analysis of individual signalling hubs devoid of interconnectivity with endogenous interacting components. Implementation of the interdisciplinary synthetic biology tools and strategies is not exempt of challenges and hardships but simultaneously most rewarding in terms of the advances in basic and applied research. As witnessed in other areas, these original theoretical-experimental avenues will lead to a breakthrough in the ability to study and comprehend plant signalling networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Braguy
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätstrasse 1, Building 26.12.U1.25, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Matias D Zurbriggen
- Institute of Synthetic Biology and CEPLAS, University of Düsseldorf, Universitätstrasse 1, Building 26.12.U1.25, Düsseldorf, 40225, Germany
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Seifert F, Bössow S, Kumlehn J, Gnad H, Scholten S. Analysis of wheat microspore embryogenesis induction by transcriptome and small RNA sequencing using the highly responsive cultivar "Svilena". BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 16:97. [PMID: 27098368 PMCID: PMC4839079 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-016-0782-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Microspore embryogenesis describes a stress-induced reprogramming of immature male plant gametophytes to develop into embryo-like structures, which can be regenerated into doubled haploid plants after whole genome reduplication. This mechanism is of high interest for both research as well as plant breeding. The objective of this study was to characterize transcriptional changes and regulatory relationships in early stages of cold stress-induced wheat microspore embryogenesis by transcriptome and small RNA sequencing using a highly responsive cultivar. RESULTS Transcriptome and small RNA sequencing was performed in a staged time-course to analyze wheat microspore embryogenesis induction. The analyzed stages were freshly harvested, untreated uninucleate microspores and the two following stages from in vitro anther culture: directly after induction by cold-stress treatment and microspores undergoing the first nuclear divisions. A de novo transcriptome assembly resulted in 29,388 contigs distributing to 20,224 putative transcripts of which 9,305 are not covered by public wheat cDNAs. Differentially expressed transcripts and small RNAs were identified for the stage transitions highlighting various processes as well as specific genes to be involved in microspore embryogenesis induction. CONCLUSION This study establishes a comprehensive functional genomics resource for wheat microspore embryogenesis induction and initial understanding of molecular mechanisms involved. A large set of putative transcripts presumably specific for microspore embryogenesis induction as well as contributing processes and specific genes were identified. The results allow for a first insight in regulatory roles of small RNAs in the reprogramming of microspores towards an embryogenic cell fate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Seifert
- />Developmental Biology, Biocenter Klein Flottbek, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sandra Bössow
- />Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH, Am Schwabenplan 6, 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben Germany
| | - Jochen Kumlehn
- />Plant Reproductive Biology, Leibnitz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben Germany
| | - Heike Gnad
- />Saaten-Union Biotec GmbH, Am Schwabenplan 6, 06466 Seeland, OT Gatersleben Germany
| | - Stefan Scholten
- />Developmental Biology, Biocenter Klein Flottbek, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany
- />Institute for Plant Breeding, Seed Science and Population Genetics, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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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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Bilichak A, Kovalchuk I. Transgenerational response to stress in plants and its application for breeding. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2016; 67:2081-92. [PMID: 26944635 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of reports indicate that plants possess the ability to maintain a memory of stress exposure throughout their ontogenesis and even transmit it faithfully to the following generation. Some of the features of transgenerational memory include elevated genome instability, a higher tolerance to stress experienced by parents, and a cross-tolerance. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon are not clear, a likely contributing factor is the absence of full-scale reprogramming of the epigenetic landscape during gametogenesis; therefore, epigenetic marks can occasionally escape the reprogramming process and can be passed on to the progeny. To date, it is not entirely clear which part of the epigenetic landscape is more likely to escape the reprogramming events, and whether such a process is random or directed and sequence specific. The identification of specific epigenetic marks associated with specific stressors would allow generation of stress-tolerant plants through the recently discovered techniques for precision epigenome engineering. The engineered DNA-binding domains (e.g. ZF, TALE, and dCas9) fused to particular chromatin modifiers would make it possible to target epigenetic modifications to the selected loci, probably allowing stress tolerance to be achieved in the progeny. This approach, termed epigenetic breeding, along with other methods has great potential to be used for both the assessment of the propagation of epigenetic marks across generations and trait improvement in plants. In this communication, we provide a short overview of recent reports demonstrating a transgenerational response to stress in plants, and discuss the underlying potential molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon and its use for plant biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, University Drive 4401, Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada
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Virdi KS, Wamboldt Y, Kundariya H, Laurie JD, Keren I, Kumar KRS, Block A, Basset G, Luebker S, Elowsky C, Day PM, Roose JL, Bricker TM, Elthon T, Mackenzie SA. MSH1 Is a Plant Organellar DNA Binding and Thylakoid Protein under Precise Spatial Regulation to Alter Development. MOLECULAR PLANT 2016; 9:245-260. [PMID: 26584715 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2015.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2015] [Revised: 10/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
As metabolic centers, plant organelles participate in maintenance, defense, and signaling. MSH1 is a plant-specific protein involved in organellar genome stability in mitochondria and plastids. Plastid depletion of MSH1 causes heritable, non-genetic changes in development and DNA methylation. We investigated the msh1 phenotype using hemi-complementation mutants and transgene-null segregants from RNAi suppression lines to sub-compartmentalize MSH1 effects. We show that MSH1 expression is spatially regulated, specifically localizing to plastids within the epidermis and vascular parenchyma. The protein binds DNA and localizes to plastid and mitochondrial nucleoids, but fractionation and protein-protein interactions data indicate that MSH1 also associates with the thylakoid membrane. Plastid MSH1 depletion results in variegation, abiotic stress tolerance, variable growth rate, and delayed maturity. Depletion from mitochondria results in 7%-10% of plants altered in leaf morphology, heat tolerance, and mitochondrial genome stability. MSH1 does not localize within the nucleus directly, but plastid depletion produces non-genetic changes in flowering time, maturation, and growth rate that are heritable independent of MSH1. MSH1 depletion alters non-photoactive redox behavior in plastids and a sub-set of mitochondrially altered lines. Ectopic expression produces deleterious effects, underlining its strict expression control. Unraveling the complexity of the MSH1 effect offers insight into triggers of plant-specific, transgenerational adaptation behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamaldeep S Virdi
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Yashitola Wamboldt
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Hardik Kundariya
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - John D Laurie
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Ido Keren
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - K R Sunil Kumar
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Anna Block
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Gilles Basset
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Steve Luebker
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Christian Elowsky
- Center for Biotechnology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Philip M Day
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Johnna L Roose
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Terry M Bricker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Thomas Elthon
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
| | - Sally A Mackenzie
- Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA.
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Abstract
RNA silencing at the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels regulates endogenous gene expression, controls invading transposable elements (TEs), and protects the cell against viruses. Key components of the mechanism are small RNAs (sRNAs) of 21-24 nt that guide the silencing machinery to their nucleic acid targets in a nucleotide sequence-specific manner. Transcriptional gene silencing is associated with 24-nt sRNAs and RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) at cytosine residues in three DNA sequence contexts (CG, CHG, and CHH). We previously demonstrated that 24-nt sRNAs are mobile from shoot to root in Arabidopsis thaliana and confirmed that they mediate DNA methylation at three sites in recipient cells. In this study, we extend this finding by demonstrating that RdDM of thousands of loci in root tissues is dependent upon mobile sRNAs from the shoot and that mobile sRNA-dependent DNA methylation occurs predominantly in non-CG contexts. Mobile sRNA-dependent non-CG methylation is largely dependent on the DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASES 1/2 (DRM1/DRM2) RdDM pathway but is independent of the CHROMOMETHYLASE (CMT)2/3 DNA methyltransferases. Specific superfamilies of TEs, including those typically found in gene-rich euchromatic regions, lose DNA methylation in a mutant lacking 22- to 24-nt sRNAs (dicer-like 2, 3, 4 triple mutant). Transcriptome analyses identified a small number of genes whose expression in roots is associated with mobile sRNAs and connected to DNA methylation directly or indirectly. Finally, we demonstrate that sRNAs from shoots of one accession move across a graft union and target DNA methylation de novo at normally unmethylated sites in the genomes of root cells from a different accession.
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Paim Pinto DL, Brancadoro L, Dal Santo S, De Lorenzis G, Pezzotti M, Meyers BC, Pè ME, Mica E. The Influence of Genotype and Environment on Small RNA Profiles in Grapevine Berry. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2016; 7:1459. [PMID: 27761135 PMCID: PMC5050227 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2016.01459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between the genetic composition and the environment is crucial for modern viticulture. We approached this issue by focusing on the small RNA transcriptome in grapevine berries of the two varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese, growing in adjacent vineyards in three different environments. Four different developmental stages were studied and a total of 48 libraries of small RNAs were produced and sequenced. Using a proximity-based pipeline, we determined the general landscape of small RNAs accumulation in grapevine berries. We also investigated the presence of known and novel miRNAs and analyzed their accumulation profile. The results showed that the distribution of small RNA-producing loci is variable between the two cultivars, and that the level of variation depends on the vineyard. Differently, the profile of miRNA accumulation mainly depends on the developmental stage. The vineyard in Riccione maximizes the differences between the varieties, promoting the production of more than 1000 specific small RNA loci and modulating their expression depending on the cultivar and the maturation stage. In total, 89 known vvi-miRNAs and 33 novel vvi-miRNA candidates were identified in our samples, many of them showing the accumulation profile modulated by at least one of the factors studied. The in silico prediction of miRNA targets suggests their involvement in berry development and in secondary metabolites accumulation such as anthocyanins and polyphenols.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lucio Brancadoro
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of MilanMilan, Italy
| | - Silvia Dal Santo
- Laboratory of Plant Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, University of VeronaVerona, Italy
| | - Gabriella De Lorenzis
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences-Production, Landscape, Agroenergy, University of MilanMilan, Italy
| | - Mario Pezzotti
- Laboratory of Plant Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, University of VeronaVerona, Italy
| | - Blake C. Meyers
- Donald Danforth Plant Science CenterSt. Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri–ColumbiaColumbia, MO, USA
| | - Mario E. Pè
- Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced StudiesPisa, Italy
| | - Erica Mica
- Institute of Life Sciences, Sant'Anna School of Advanced StudiesPisa, Italy
- Genomics Research Centre, Agricultural Research CouncilFiorenzuola d'Arda, Italy
- *Correspondence: Erica Mica
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Harris CJ, Molnar A, Müller SY, Baulcombe DC. FDF-PAGE: a powerful technique revealing previously undetected small RNAs sequestered by complementary transcripts. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:7590-9. [PMID: 26071954 PMCID: PMC4551911 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2014] [Revised: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Small RNAs, between 18nt and 30nt in length, are a diverse class of non-coding RNAs that mediate a range of cellular processes, from gene regulation to pathogen defense. They guide ribonucleoprotein complexes to their target nucleic acids by Watson-Crick base pairing. We report here that current techniques for small RNA detection and library generation are biased by formation of RNA duplexes. To address this problem, we established FDF-PAGE (fully-denaturing formaldehyde polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) to prevent annealing of sRNAs to their complement. By applying FDF-PAGE, we provide evidence that both strands of viral small RNA are present in near equimolar ratios, indicating that the predominant precursor is a long double-stranded RNA. Comparing non-denaturing conditions to FDF-PAGE uncovered extensive sequestration of miRNAs in model organisms and allowed us to identify candidate small RNAs under the control of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs). By revealing the full repertoire of small RNAs, we can begin to create a better understanding of small RNA mediated interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Jake Harris
- Plant Sciences Department, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Attila Molnar
- Plant Sciences Department, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK School of Biological Sciences, Edinburgh University, Edinburgh, EH9 3JH, UK
| | | | - David C Baulcombe
- Plant Sciences Department, Cambridge University, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
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50
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Colicchio JM, Miura F, Kelly JK, Ito T, Hileman LC. DNA methylation and gene expression in Mimulus guttatus. BMC Genomics 2015; 16:507. [PMID: 26148779 PMCID: PMC4492170 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-015-1668-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/29/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The presence of methyl groups on cytosine nucleotides across an organism’s genome (methylation) is a major regulator of genome stability, crossing over, and gene regulation. The capacity for DNA methylation to be altered by environmental conditions, and potentially passed between generations, makes it a prime candidate for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Here we conduct the first analysis of the Mimulus guttatus methylome, with a focus on the relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression. Results We present a whole genome methylome for the inbred line Iron Mountain 62 (IM62). DNA methylation varies across chromosomes, genomic regions, and genes. We develop a model that predicts gene expression based on DNA methylation (R2 = 0.2). Post hoc analysis of this model confirms prior relationships, and identifies novel relationships between methylation and gene expression. Additionally, we find that DNA methylation is significantly depleted near gene transcriptional start sites, which may explain the recently discovered elevated rate of recombination in these same regions. Conclusions The establishment here of a reference methylome will be a useful resource for the continued advancement of M. guttatus as a model system. Using a model-based approach, we demonstrate that methylation patterns are an important predictor of variation in gene expression. This model provides a novel approach for differential methylation analysis that generates distinct and testable hypotheses regarding gene expression. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1668-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack M Colicchio
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA.
| | - Fumihito Miura
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Fukuoka 812-8581, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - John K Kelly
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
| | - Takashi Ito
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Fukuoka 812-8581, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan
| | - Lena C Hileman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, 66045, USA
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