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Jo L, Nodine MD. "To remember or forget: Insights into the mechanisms of epigenetic reprogramming and priming in early plant embryos". CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 81:102612. [PMID: 39098309 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Chromatin is dynamically modified throughout the plant life cycle to regulate gene expression in response to environmental and developmental cues. Although such epigenetic information can be inherited across generations in plants, chromatin features that regulate gene expression are typically reprogrammed during plant gametogenesis and directly after fertilization. Nevertheless, environmentally induced epigenetic marks on genes can be transmitted across generations. Moreover, epigenetic information installed on early embryonic chromatin can be stably inherited during subsequent growth and influence how plants respond to environmental conditions much later in development. Here, we review recent breakthroughs towards deciphering mechanisms underlying epigenetic reprogramming and transcriptional priming during early plant embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Jo
- Experimental and Computational Plant Development, Institute of Environment Biology, Utrecht University, Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Michael D Nodine
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cluster of Plant Developmental Biology, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
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Yang K, Tang Y, Li Y, Guo W, Hu Z, Wang X, Berger F, Li J. Two imprinted genes primed by DEMETER in the central cell and activated by WRKY10 in the endosperm. J Genet Genomics 2024; 51:855-865. [PMID: 38599515 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2024.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The early development of the endosperm is crucial for balancing the allocation of maternal nutrients to offspring. This process is believed to be evolutionarily associated with genomic imprinting, resulting in parentally biased allelic gene expression. Beyond FertilizationIndependentSeed (FIS) genes, the number of imprinted genes involved in early endosperm development and seed size determination remains limited. This study introduces early endosperm-expressed HAIKU (IKU) downstream Candidate F-box 1 (ICF1) and ICF2 as maternally expressed imprinted genes (MEGs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Although these genes are also demethylated by DEMETER (DME) in the central cell, their activation differs from the direct DME-mediated activation seen in classical MEGs such as the FIS genes. Instead, ICF maternal alleles carry pre-established hypomethylation in their promoters, priming them for activation by the WRKY10 transcription factor in the endosperm. On the contrary, paternal alleles are predominantly suppressed by CG methylation. Furthermore, we find that ICF genes partially contribute to the small seed size observed in iku mutants. Our discovery reveals a two-step regulatory mechanism that highlights the important role of conventional transcription factors in the activation of imprinted genes, which was previously not fully recognized. Therefore, the mechanism provides a new dimension to understand the transcriptional regulation of imprinting in plant reproduction and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Yang
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China; Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Yuling Tang
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Yue Li
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Wenbin Guo
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Zhengdao Hu
- College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Xuanpeng Wang
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jing Li
- Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, Hainan University, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China; School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, Hainan 570228, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China.
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Osakabe A, Takizawa Y, Horikoshi N, Hatazawa S, Negishi L, Sato S, Berger F, Kakutani T, Kurumizaka H. Molecular and structural basis of the chromatin remodeling activity by Arabidopsis DDM1. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5187. [PMID: 38992002 PMCID: PMC11239853 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49465-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The histone H2A variant H2A.W occupies transposons and thus prevents access to them in Arabidopsis thaliana. H2A.W is deposited by the chromatin remodeler DDM1, which also promotes the accessibility of chromatin writers to heterochromatin by an unknown mechanism. To shed light on this question, we solve the cryo-EM structures of nucleosomes containing H2A and H2A.W, and the DDM1-H2A.W nucleosome complex. These structures show that the DNA end flexibility of the H2A nucleosome is higher than that of the H2A.W nucleosome. In the DDM1-H2A.W nucleosome complex, DDM1 binds to the N-terminal tail of H4 and the nucleosomal DNA and increases the DNA end flexibility of H2A.W nucleosomes. Based on these biochemical and structural results, we propose that DDM1 counters the low accessibility caused by nucleosomes containing H2A.W to enable the maintenance of repressive epigenetic marks on transposons and prevent their activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihisa Osakabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.
| | - Yoshimasa Takizawa
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Horikoshi
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Suguru Hatazawa
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lumi Negishi
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoko Sato
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hitoshi Kurumizaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
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Baduel P, Sammarco I, Barrett R, Coronado‐Zamora M, Crespel A, Díez‐Rodríguez B, Fox J, Galanti D, González J, Jueterbock A, Wootton E, Harney E. The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13730. [PMID: 39050763 PMCID: PMC11266121 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenome is the suite of interacting chemical marks and molecules that helps to shape patterns of development, phenotypic plasticity and gene regulation, in part due to its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. There is increasing interest in understanding the functional and evolutionary importance of this sensitivity under ecologically realistic conditions. Observations that epigenetic variation abounds in natural populations have prompted speculation that it may facilitate evolutionary responses to rapid environmental perturbations, such as those occurring under climate change. A frequent point of contention is whether epigenetic variants reflect genetic variation or are independent of it. The genome and epigenome often appear tightly linked and interdependent. While many epigenetic changes are genetically determined, the converse is also true, with DNA sequence changes influenced by the presence of epigenetic marks. Understanding how the epigenome, genome and environment interact with one another is therefore an essential step in explaining the broader evolutionary consequences of epigenomic variation. Drawing on results from experimental and comparative studies carried out in diverse plant and animal species, we synthesize our current understanding of how these factors interact to shape phenotypic variation in natural populations, with a focus on identifying similarities and differences between taxonomic groups. We describe the main components of the epigenome and how they vary within and between taxa. We review how variation in the epigenome interacts with genetic features and environmental determinants, with a focus on the role of transposable elements (TEs) in integrating the epigenome, genome and environment. And we look at recent studies investigating the functional and evolutionary consequences of these interactions. Although epigenetic differentiation in nature is likely often a result of drift or selection on stochastic epimutations, there is growing evidence that a significant fraction of it can be stably inherited and could therefore contribute to evolution independently of genetic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale SupérieurePSL University, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Iris Sammarco
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhoniceCzechia
| | - Rowan Barrett
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | | | | | | | - Janay Fox
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Dario Galanti
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology (EvE)University of TuebingenTübingenGermany
| | | | - Alexander Jueterbock
- Algal and Microbial Biotechnology Division, Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversityBodøNorway
| | - Eric Wootton
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Ewan Harney
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologyCSIC, UPFBarcelonaSpain
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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Fan Y, Sun C, Yan K, Li P, Hein I, Gilroy EM, Kear P, Bi Z, Yao P, Liu Z, Liu Y, Bai J. Recent Advances in Studies of Genomic DNA Methylation and Its Involvement in Regulating Drought Stress Response in Crops. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1400. [PMID: 38794470 PMCID: PMC11125032 DOI: 10.3390/plants13101400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
As global arid conditions worsen and groundwater resources diminish, drought stress has emerged as a critical impediment to plant growth and development globally, notably causing declines in crop yields and even the extinction of certain cultivated species. Numerous studies on drought resistance have demonstrated that DNA methylation dynamically interacts with plant responses to drought stress by modulating gene expression and developmental processes. However, the precise mechanisms underlying these interactions remain elusive. This article consolidates the latest research on the role of DNA methylation in plant responses to drought stress across various species, focusing on methods of methylation detection, mechanisms of methylation pattern alteration (including DNA de novo methylation, DNA maintenance methylation, and DNA demethylation), and overall responses to drought conditions. While many studies have observed significant shifts in genome-wide or gene promoter methylation levels in drought-stressed plants, the identification of specific genes and pathways involved remains limited. This review aims to furnish a reference for detailed research into plant responses to drought stress through epigenetic approaches, striving to identify drought resistance genes regulated by DNA methylation, specific signaling pathways, and their molecular mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youfang Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Chao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Kan Yan
- School of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070, China;
| | - Pengcheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Ingo Hein
- The James Hutton Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, UK; (I.H.); (E.M.G.)
| | | | - Philip Kear
- International Potato Center (CIP), CIP China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP), Beijing 102199, China;
| | - Zhenzhen Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Panfeng Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Zhen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yuhui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
| | - Jiangping Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Aridland Crop Science, College of Agronomy, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China; (Y.F.); (P.L.); (Z.B.); (P.Y.); (Z.L.); (Y.L.)
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Sun Y, Xie Z, Jin L, Qin T, Zhan C, Huang J. Histone deacetylase OsHDA716 represses rice chilling tolerance by deacetylating OsbZIP46 to reduce its transactivation function and protein stability. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:1913-1936. [PMID: 38242836 PMCID: PMC11062455 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
Low temperature is a major environmental factor limiting plant growth and crop production. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is important for plant adaptation to environmental changes, whereas the epigenetic mechanism of cold signaling in rice (Oryza sativa) remains largely elusive. Here, we report that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) OsHDA716 represses rice cold tolerance by interacting with and deacetylating the transcription factor OsbZIP46. The loss-of-function mutants of OsHDA716 exhibit enhanced chilling tolerance, compared with the wild-type plants, while OsHDA716 overexpression plants show chilling hypersensitivity. On the contrary, OsbZIP46 confers chilling tolerance in rice through transcriptionally activating OsDREB1A and COLD1 to regulate cold-induced calcium influx and cytoplasmic calcium elevation. Mechanistic investigation showed that OsHDA716-mediated OsbZIP46 deacetylation in the DNA-binding domain reduces the DNA-binding ability and transcriptional activity as well as decreasing OsbZIP46 protein stability. Genetic evidence indicated that OsbZIP46 deacetylation mediated by OsHDA716 reduces rice chilling tolerance. Collectively, these findings reveal that the functional interplay between the chromatin regulator and transcription factor fine-tunes the cold response in plant and uncover a mechanism by which HDACs repress gene transcription through deacetylating nonhistone proteins and regulating their biochemical functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Sun
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Zizhao Xie
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Liang Jin
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Tian Qin
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Chenghang Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Junli Huang
- Key Laboratory of Biorheological Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Bioengineering College, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
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Xu G, Law JA. Loops, crosstalk, and compartmentalization: it takes many layers to regulate DNA methylation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2024; 84:102147. [PMID: 38176333 PMCID: PMC10922829 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic modification associated with transposon silencing and gene regulation. The stability of this modification relies on intimate connections between DNA and histone modifications that generate self-reinforcing loops wherein the presence of one mark promotes the other. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that the efficiency of these loops is affected by cross-talk between pathways and by chromatin accessibility, which is heavily influenced by histone variants. Focusing primarily on plants, this review provides an update on the aforementioned self-reinforcing loops, highlights recent advances in understanding how DNA methylation pathways are restricted to prevent encroachment on genes, and discusses the roles of histone variants in compartmentalizing epigenetic pathways within the genome. This multilayered approach facilitates two essential, yet opposing functions, the ability to maintain heritable DNA methylation patterns while retaining the flexibility to modify these patterns during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanghui Xu
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA. https://twitter.com/@GuanghuiXu1
| | - Julie A Law
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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Perrella G, Fasano C, Donald NA, Daddiego L, Fang W, Martignago D, Carr C, Conti L, Herzyk P, Amtmann A. Histone Deacetylase Complex 1 and histone 1 epigenetically moderate stress responsiveness of Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:166-179. [PMID: 37565540 PMCID: PMC10953426 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Early responses of plants to environmental stress factors prevent damage but can delay growth and development in fluctuating conditions. Optimising these trade-offs requires tunability of plant responsiveness to environmental signals. We have previously reported that Histone Deacetylase Complex 1 (HDC1), which interacts with multiple proteins in histone deacetylation complexes, regulates the stress responsiveness of Arabidopsis seedlings, but the underlying mechanism remained elusive. Here, we show that HDC1 attenuates transcriptome re-programming in salt-treated seedlings, and we identify two genes (LEA and MAF5) that inhibit seedling establishment under salt stress downstream of HDC1. HDC1 attenuates their transcriptional induction by salt via a dual mechanism involving H3K9/14 deacetylation and H3K27 trimethylation. The latter, but not the former, was also abolished in a triple knockout mutant of the linker histone H1, which partially mimics the hypersensitivity of the hdc1-1 mutant to salt stress. Although stress-induced H3K27me3 accumulation required both H1 and HDC1, it was not fully recovered by complementing hdc1-1 with a truncated, H1-binding competent HDC1 suggesting other players or independent inputs. The combined findings reveal a dual brake function of HDC1 via regulating both active and repressive epigenetic marks on stress-inducible genes. This natural 'anti-panic' device offers a molecular leaver to tune stress responsiveness in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Perrella
- Department of BiosciencesUniversità degli Studi di MilanoVia Celoria 26Milan20133Italy
- Plant Science GroupSchool of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), University of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - Carlo Fasano
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic DevelopmentTrisaia Research CentreRotondella (Matera)75026Italy
| | - Naomi A. Donald
- Plant Science GroupSchool of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), University of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - Loretta Daddiego
- Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic DevelopmentTrisaia Research CentreRotondella (Matera)75026Italy
| | - Weiwei Fang
- Department of BiosciencesUniversità degli Studi di MilanoVia Celoria 26Milan20133Italy
| | - Damiano Martignago
- Department of BiosciencesUniversità degli Studi di MilanoVia Celoria 26Milan20133Italy
| | - Craig Carr
- Plant Science GroupSchool of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), University of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
| | - Lucio Conti
- Department of BiosciencesUniversità degli Studi di MilanoVia Celoria 26Milan20133Italy
| | - Pawel Herzyk
- Plant Science GroupSchool of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), University of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
- Glasgow Polyomics, Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research CentreUniversity of GlasgowGlasgowG61 1QHUK
| | - Anna Amtmann
- Plant Science GroupSchool of Molecular Biosciences (SMB), University of GlasgowGlasgowG12 8QQUK
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Fresnedo-Ramírez J, Anderson ES, D'Amico-Willman K, Gradziel TM. A review of plant epigenetics through the lens of almond. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20367. [PMID: 37434488 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
While genomes were originally seen as static entities that stably held and organized genetic information, recent advances in sequencing have uncovered the dynamic nature of the genome. New conceptualizations of the genome include complex relationships between the environment and gene expression that must be maintained, regulated, and sometimes even transmitted over generations. The discovery of epigenetic mechanisms has allowed researchers to understand how traits like phenology, plasticity, and fitness can be altered without changing the underlying deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. While many discoveries were first made in animal systems, plants provide a particularly complex set of epigenetic mechanisms due to unique aspects of their biology and interactions with human selective breeding and cultivation. In the plant kingdom, annual plants have received the most attention; however, perennial plants endure and respond to their environment and human management in distinct ways. Perennials include crops such as almond, for which epigenetic effects have long been linked to phenomena and even considered relevant for breeding. Recent discoveries have elucidated epigenetic phenomena that influence traits such as dormancy and self-compatibility, as well as disorders like noninfectious bud failure, which are known to be triggered by the environment and influenced by inherent aspects of the plant. Thus, epigenetics represents fertile ground to further understand almond biology and production and optimize its breeding. Here, we provide our current understanding of epigenetic regulation in plants and use almond as an example of how advances in epigenetics research can be used to understand biological fitness and agricultural performance in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth S Anderson
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA
| | | | - Thomas M Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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10
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Martins LM, Law JA. Moving targets: Mechanisms regulating siRNA production and DNA methylation during plant development. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102435. [PMID: 37598540 PMCID: PMC10581331 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a conserved modification that must be precisely regulated during development to facilitate its roles in silencing transposable elements and regulating gene expression. In plants, DNA methylation changes during reproduction are widely documented and, in many cases, the underlying mechanisms are well understood. In somatic tissues, the diversity of methylation patterns are only recently emerging but they are often associated with the RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway. Here, we discuss advances in our understanding of how the locus-specific targeting and tissue-specific expression of RdDM proteins regulate methylation patterns, how the targeting of methylation at loci with imperfect homology expands the purview of RdDM, and how natural variation within RdDM factors impacts DNA methylation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Martins
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Julie A Law
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA; Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
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11
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Rehman S, Ahmad Z, Ramakrishnan M, Kalendar R, Zhuge Q. Regulation of plant epigenetic memory in response to cold and heat stress: towards climate resilient agriculture. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:298. [PMID: 37700098 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01219-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved to adapt and grow in hot and cold climatic conditions. Some also adapt to daily and seasonal temperature changes. Epigenetic modifications play an important role in regulating plant tolerance under such conditions. DNA methylation and post-translational modifications of histone proteins influence gene expression during plant developmental stages and under stress conditions, including cold and heat stress. While short-term modifications are common, some modifications may persist and result in stress memory that can be inherited by subsequent generations. Understanding the mechanisms of epigenomes responding to stress and the factors that trigger stress memory is crucial for developing climate-resilient agriculture, but such an integrated view is currently limited. This review focuses on the plant epigenetic stress memory during cold and heat stress. It also discusses the potential of machine learning to modify stress memory through epigenetics to develop climate-resilient crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamsur Rehman
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Zishan Ahmad
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Muthusamy Ramakrishnan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Ruslan Kalendar
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, Biocenter 3, Viikinkaari 1, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.
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Stevenson DW, Ramakrishnan S, de Santis Alves C, Coelho LA, Kramer M, Goodwin S, Ramos OM, Eshel G, Sondervan VM, Frangos S, Zumajo-Cardona C, Jenike K, Ou S, Wang X, Lee YP, Loke S, Rossetto M, McPherson H, Nigris S, Moschin S, Little DP, Katari MS, Varala K, Kolokotronis SO, Ambrose B, Croft LJ, Coruzzi GM, Schatz M, McCombie WR, Martienssen RA. The genome of the Wollemi pine, a critically endangered "living fossil" unchanged since the Cretaceous, reveals extensive ancient transposon activity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.24.554647. [PMID: 37662366 PMCID: PMC10473749 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.24.554647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
We present the genome of the living fossil, Wollemia nobilis, a southern hemisphere conifer morphologically unchanged since the Cretaceous. Presumed extinct until rediscovery in 1994, the Wollemi pine is critically endangered with less than 60 wild adults threatened by intensifying bushfires in the Blue Mountains of Australia. The 12 Gb genome is among the most contiguous large plant genomes assembled, with extremely low heterozygosity and unusual abundance of DNA transposons. Reduced representation and genome re-sequencing of individuals confirms a relictual population since the last major glacial/drying period in Australia, 120 ky BP. Small RNA and methylome sequencing reveal conservation of ancient silencing mechanisms despite the presence of thousands of active and abundant transposons, including some transferred horizontally to conifers from arthropods in the Jurassic. A retrotransposon burst 8-6 my BP coincided with population decline, possibly as an adaptation enhancing epigenetic diversity. Wollemia, like other conifers, is susceptible to Phytophthora, and a suite of defense genes, similar to those in loblolly pine, are targeted for silencing by sRNAs in leaves. The genome provides insight into the earliest seed plants, while enabling conservation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Cristiane de Santis Alves
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Laís Araujo Coelho
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health; Institute for Genomics in Health; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Cell Biology, College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA
| | - Melissa Kramer
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
| | - Sara Goodwin
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
| | | | - Gil Eshel
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - Samantha Frangos
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | | | - Katherine Jenike
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shujun Ou
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Xiaojin Wang
- Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Yin Peng Lee
- Charles River Laboratories Australia, 17-19 Hi-Tech Ct, Kilsyth VIC 3137, Australia
| | - Stella Loke
- Charles River Laboratories Australia, 17-19 Hi-Tech Ct, Kilsyth VIC 3137, Australia
| | - Maurizio Rossetto
- Research Centre for Ecosystem Resilience, Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Hannah McPherson
- National Herbarium of New South Wales, Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, NSW 2567, Australia
| | - Sebastiano Nigris
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli studi di Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; and Botanical Garden, Università degli studi di Padova, via Orto Botanico 15, 35123 Padova, Italy
| | - Silvia Moschin
- Dipartimento di Biologia, Università degli studi di Padova, via U. Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy; and Botanical Garden, Università degli studi di Padova, via Orto Botanico 15, 35123 Padova, Italy
| | - Damon P. Little
- The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
| | - Manpreet S. Katari
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Kranthi Varala
- Purdue University, 610 Purdue Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health; Institute for Genomics in Health; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, and Department of Cell Biology, College of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203-2098, USA
| | - Barbara Ambrose
- The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10458, USA
| | - Larry J. Croft
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Victoria 3216, Australia
| | - Gloria M. Coruzzi
- Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Michael Schatz
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Robert A. Martienssen
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
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13
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Zhao Z, Wang Y, Peng Z, Luo Z, Zhao M, Wang J. Allelic expression of AhNSP2-B07 due to parent of origin affects peanut nodulation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1193465. [PMID: 37426991 PMCID: PMC10325728 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1193465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Legumes are well-known for establishing a symbiotic relationship with rhizobia in root nodules to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere. The nodulation signaling pathway 2 (NSP2) gene plays a critical role in the symbiotic signaling pathway. In cultivated peanut, an allotetraploid (2n = 4x = 40, AABB) legume crop, natural polymorphisms in a pair of NSP2 homoeologs (Na and Nb) located on chromosomes A08 and B07, respectively, can cause loss of nodulation. Interestingly, some heterozygous (NBnb) progeny produced nodules, while some others do not, suggesting non-Mendelian inheritance in the segregating population at the Nb locus. In this study, we investigated the non-Mendelian inheritance at the NB locus. Selfing populations were developed to validate the genotypical and phenotypical segregating ratios. Allelic expression was detected in roots, ovaries, and pollens of heterozygous plants. Bisulfite PCR and sequencing of the Nb gene in gametic tissue were performed to detect the DNA methylation variations of this gene in different gametic tissues. The results showed that only one allele at the Nb locus expressed in peanut roots during symbiosis. In the heterozygous (Nbnb) plants, if dominant allele expressed, the plants produced nodules, if recessive allele expressed, then no nodules were produced. qRT-PCR experiments revealed that the expression of Nb gene in the ovary was extremely low, about seven times lower than that in pollen, regardless of genotypes or phenotypes of the plants at this locus. The results indicated that Nb gene expression in peanut depends on the parent of origin and is imprinted in female gametes. However, no significant differences of DNA methylation level were detected between these two gametic tissues by bisulfite PCR and sequencing. The results suggested that the remarkable low expression of Nb in female gametes may not be caused by DNA methylation. This study provided a unique genetic basis of a key gene involved in peanut symbiosis, which could facilitate understanding the regulation of gene expression in symbiosis in polyploid legumes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zifan Zhao
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Yichun Wang
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Ze Peng
- College of Horticulture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziliang Luo
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Meixia Zhao
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | - Jianping Wang
- Agronomy Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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14
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Kim J, Coutellec MA, Lee S, Choi J. Insights into the mechanisms of within-species variation in sensitivity to chemicals: A case study using daphnids exposed to CMIT/MIT biocide. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 258:114967. [PMID: 37167738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Living organisms adapt to their environment, and this adaptive response to environmental changes is influenced by both genomic and epigenomic components. As adaptation underpins tolerance to stressors, it is crucial to consider biological adaptation in evaluating the adverse outcomes of environmental chemicals, such as biocides. Daphnid studies have revealed differences in sensitivity to environmental chemicals between conspecific populations or clones, as well as between species. This study aimed to identify whether sensitivity to chemicals is subject to intraspecific variation, and whether this sensitivity depends on the genetic and epigenetic backgrounds of the daphnid population. We used an integrative approach to assess the comparative toxicity of a mixture of 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazoline-3-one and 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one (CMIT/MIT), a commonly used isothiazolinone biocide, by measuring mortality, reproduction, physiological traits, global DNA methylation, and proteomic expression at the species and strain levels. The results showed that the variation in sensitivity to CMIT/MIT between conspecific strains (Daphnia pulex; DPR vs. DPA strains) could exceed that observed between congeneric species (D. magna vs. D. pulex DPR strain). Under the control conditions, DPR (the strain most sensitive to CMIT/MIT) was characterized by a larger body size, a higher heart rate, and a higher level of global DNA methylation compared to its counterpart (DPA), and proteome profiles differed between the two strains. Particularly, the study identified strain-specific epigenetic and proteomic responses to LC20 of CMIT/MIT, demonstrating putative critical proteins and biological pathways associated with the observed differences in phenotype and sensitivity to CMIT/MIT. Downregulation of certain proteins (e.g., SAM synthase, GSTs, hemoglobin, and cuticle proteins) and DNA hypomethylation can be proposed as key events (KEs) of adverse outcome pathway (AOP) for isothiazolinone toxicity. Our findings indicate that both genetic variations and epigenetic modifications can lead to intraspecific variation in sensitivity to chemicals, and this variation should be considered in the ecological risk assessment framework for chemical substances. We suggest conducting further analysis on methylated gene regions and observing transgenerational effects to verify the role of crosstalk between genetic and epigenetic factors in phenotypic and protein expressions. DATA AVAILABILITY: Proteomic data is available in supplementary materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiwan Kim
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Marie-Agnes Coutellec
- DECOD (Ecosystem Dynamics and Sustainability), INRAE, Institute Agro, IFREMER, Rennes, France
| | - Sangkyu Lee
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, South Korea
| | - Jinhee Choi
- School of Environmental Engineering, University of Seoul, 163 Seoulsiripdae-ro, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
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15
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Pisupati R, Nizhynska V, Mollá Morales A, Nordborg M. On the causes of gene-body methylation variation in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010728. [PMID: 37141384 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene-body methylation (gbM) refers to sparse CG methylation of coding regions, which is especially prominent in evolutionarily conserved house-keeping genes. It is found in both plants and animals, but is directly and stably (epigenetically) inherited over multiple generations in the former. Studies in Arabidopsis thaliana have demonstrated that plants originating from different parts of the world exhibit genome-wide differences in gbM, which could reflect direct selection on gbM, but which could also reflect an epigenetic memory of ancestral genetic and/or environmental factors. Here we look for evidence of such factors in F2 plants resulting from a cross between a southern Swedish line with low gbM and a northern Swedish line with high gbM, grown at two different temperatures. Using bisulfite-sequencing data with nucleotide-level resolution on hundreds of individuals, we confirm that CG sites are either methylated (nearly 100% methylation across sampled cells) or unmethylated (approximately 0% methylation across sampled cells), and show that the higher level of gbM in the northern line is due to more sites being methylated. Furthermore, methylation variants almost always show Mendelian segregation, consistent with their being directly and stably inherited through meiosis. To explore how the differences between the parental lines could have arisen, we focused on somatic deviations from the inherited state, distinguishing between gains (relative to the inherited 0% methylation) and losses (relative to the inherited 100% methylation) at each site in the F2 generation. We demonstrate that deviations predominantly affect sites that differ between the parental lines, consistent with these sites being more mutable. Gains and losses behave very differently in terms of the genomic distribution, and are influenced by the local chromatin state. We find clear evidence for different trans-acting genetic polymorphism affecting gains and losses, with those affecting gains showing strong environmental interactions (G×E). Direct effects of the environment were minimal. In conclusion, we show that genetic and environmental factors can change gbM at a cellular level, and hypothesize that these factors can also lead to transgenerational differences between individuals via the inclusion of such changes in the zygote. If true, this could explain genographic pattern of gbM with selection, and would cast doubt on estimates of epimutation rates from inbred lines in constant environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Pisupati
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Graduate School of Population Genetics, Institut für Populationsgenetik, Vetmeduni, Vienna, Austria
| | - Viktoria Nizhynska
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Almudena Mollá Morales
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Magnus Nordborg
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
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16
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Cornaro L, Banfi C, Cucinotta M, Colombo L, van Dijk PJ. Asexual reproduction through seeds: the complex case of diplosporous apomixis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:2462-2478. [PMID: 36794770 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is considered a potentially revolutionary tool to generate high-quality food at a lower cost and shorter developmental time due to clonal seed production through apomeiosis and parthenogenesis. In the diplosporous type of apomixis, meiotic recombination and reduction are circumvented either by avoiding or failing meiosis or by a mitotic-like division. Here, we review the literature on diplospory, from early cytological studies dating back to the late 19th century to recent genetic findings. We discuss diplosporous developmental mechanisms, including their inheritance. Furthermore, we compare the strategies adopted to isolate the genes controlling diplospory with those to produce mutants forming unreduced gametes. Nowadays, the dramatically improved technologies of long-read sequencing and targeted CRISPR/Cas mutagenesis justify the expectation that natural diplospory genes will soon be identified. Their identification will answer questions such as how the apomictic phenotype can be superimposed upon the sexual pathway and how diplospory genes have evolved. This knowledge will contribute to the application of apomixis in agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Cornaro
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Camilla Banfi
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Mara Cucinotta
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Colombo
- Department of Biosciences, University of Milan, Via Giovanni Celoria 26, 20133, Milano, Italy
| | - Peter J van Dijk
- KeyGene N.V., Agro Business Park 90, 6708 PW Wageningen, The Netherlands
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17
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Dvořák Tomaštíková E, Yang F, Mlynárová K, Hafidh S, Schořová Š, Kusová A, Pernisová M, Přerovská T, Klodová B, Honys D, Fajkus J, Pecinka A, Schrumpfová PP. RUVBL proteins are involved in plant gametophyte development. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 114:325-337. [PMID: 36752686 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The proper development of male and female gametophytes is critical for successful sexual reproduction and requires a carefully regulated series of events orchestrated by a suite of various proteins. RUVBL1 and RUVBL2, plant orthologues of human Pontin and Reptin, respectively, belong to the evolutionarily highly conserved AAA+ family linked to a wide range of cellular processes. Previously, we found that RUVBL1 and RUVBL2A mutations are homozygous lethal in Arabidopsis. Here, we report that RUVBL1 and RUVBL2A play roles in reproductive development. We show that mutant plants produce embryo sacs with an abnormal structure or with various numbers of nuclei. Although pollen grains of heterozygous mutant plants exhibit reduced viability and reduced pollen tube growth in vitro, some of the ruvbl pollen tubes are capable of targeting ovules in vivo. Similarly, some ruvbl ovules retain the ability to attract wild-type pollen tubes but fail to develop further. The activity of the RUVBL1 and RUVBL2A promoters was observed in the embryo sac, pollen grains, and tapetum cells and, for RUVBL2A, also in developing ovules. In summary, we show that the RUVBL proteins are essential for the proper development of both male and particularly female gametophytes in Arabidopsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dvořák Tomaštíková
- Centre of Plant Structural and Functional Genomics, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 31, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Fen Yang
- Centre of Plant Structural and Functional Genomics, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 31, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Kristína Mlynárová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Said Hafidh
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 263, CZ-165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Šárka Schořová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alžbeta Kusová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Pernisová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Přerovská
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Božena Klodová
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 263, CZ-165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 128 00, Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - David Honys
- Laboratory of Pollen Biology, Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 263, CZ-165 02, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 128 00, Praha 2, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Institute of Biophysics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Královopolská 135, CZ-61265, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Centre of Plant Structural and Functional Genomics, Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Šlechtitelů 31, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Faculty of Science, National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, CZ-62500, Brno, Czech Republic
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18
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Niccolò T, Anderson AW, Emidio A. Apomixis: oh, what a tangled web we have! PLANTA 2023; 257:92. [PMID: 37000270 PMCID: PMC10066125 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-023-04124-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Apomixis is a complex evolutionary trait with many possible origins. Here we discuss various clues and causes, ultimately proposing a model harmonizing the three working hypotheses on the topic. Asexual reproduction through seeds, i.e., apomixis, is the holy grail of plant biology. Its implementation in modern breeding could be a game-changer for agriculture. It has the potential to generate clonal crops and maintain valuable complex genotypes and their associated heterotic traits without inbreeding depression. The genetic basis and origins of apomixis are still unclear. There are three central hypothesis for the development of apomixis that could be: i) a deviation from the sexual developmental program caused by an asynchronous development, ii) environmentally triggered through epigenetic regulations (a polyphenism of sex), iii) relying on one or more genes/alleles. Because of the ever-increasing complexity of the topic, the path toward a detailed understanding of the mechanisms underlying apomixis remains unclear. Here, we discuss the most recent advances in the evolution perspective of this multifaceted trait. We incorporated our understanding of the effect of endogenous effectors, such as small RNAs, epigenetic regulation, hormonal pathways, protein turnover, and cell wall modification in response to an upside stress. This can be either endogenous (hybridization or polyploidization) or exogenous environmental stress, mainly due to oxidative stress and the corresponding ROS (Reacting Oxygen Species) effectors. Finally, we graphically represented this tangled web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terzaroli Niccolò
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy.
| | - Aaron W Anderson
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Fulbright Scholar From Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, USA
| | - Albertini Emidio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Borgo XX Giugno 74, 06121, Perugia, Italy
- Consorzio Interuniversitario per le Biotecnologie (CIB), Trieste, Italy
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19
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Fallet M, Blanc M, Di Criscio M, Antczak P, Engwall M, Guerrero Bosagna C, Rüegg J, Keiter SH. Present and future challenges for the investigation of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2023; 172:107776. [PMID: 36731188 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.107776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic pathways are essential in different biological processes and in phenotype-environment interactions in response to different stressors and they can induce phenotypic plasticity. They encompass several processes that are mitotically and, in some cases, meiotically heritable, so they can be transferred to subsequent generations via the germline. Transgenerational Epigenetic Inheritance (TEI) describes the phenomenon that phenotypic traits, such as changes in fertility, metabolic function, or behavior, induced by environmental factors (e.g., parental care, pathogens, pollutants, climate change), can be transferred to offspring generations via epigenetic mechanisms. Investigations on TEI contribute to deciphering the role of epigenetic mechanisms in adaptation, adversity, and evolution. However, molecular mechanisms underlying the transmission of epigenetic changes between generations, and the downstream chain of events leading to persistent phenotypic changes, remain unclear. Therefore, inter-, (transmission of information between parental and offspring generation via direct exposure) and transgenerational (transmission of information through several generations with disappearance of the triggering factor) consequences of epigenetic modifications remain major issues in the field of modern biology. In this article, we review and describe the major gaps and issues still encountered in the TEI field: the general challenges faced in epigenetic research; deciphering the key epigenetic mechanisms in inheritance processes; identifying the relevant drivers for TEI and implement a collaborative and multi-disciplinary approach to study TEI. Finally, we provide suggestions on how to overcome these challenges and ultimately be able to identify the specific contribution of epigenetics in transgenerational inheritance and use the correct tools for environmental science investigation and biomarkers identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Fallet
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden; Department of Biochemistry, Dorothy Crowfoot Hodgkin Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Rd, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.
| | - Mélanie Blanc
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, INRAE, Palavas, France
| | - Michela Di Criscio
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyv. 18A, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Philipp Antczak
- University of Cologne, Faculty of Medicine and Cologne University Hospital, Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, Germany; Excellence Cluster on Cellular Stress Responses in Aging Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Magnus Engwall
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
| | | | - Joëlle Rüegg
- Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Norbyv. 18A, 75236 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Steffen H Keiter
- Man-Technology-Environment Research Centre (MTM), School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 70182 Örebro, Sweden
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20
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Lee J, Shin SY, Lee SK, Park K, Gill H, Hyun Y, Jeong C, Jeon JS, Shin C, Choi Y. Contribution of RdDM to the ecotype-specific differential methylation on conserved as well as highly variable regions between Arabidopsis ecotypes. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:36. [PMID: 36658480 PMCID: PMC9854041 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09128-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies showed genome-wide DNA methylation during Arabidopsis embryogenesis and germination. Although it has been known that the change of DNA methylation mainly occurs at CHH context mediated by small RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway during seed ripening and germination, the causality of the methylation difference exhibited in natural Arabidopsis ecotypes has not been thoroughly studied. RESULTS In this study we compared DNA methylation difference using comparative pairwise multi-omics dynamics in Columbia-0 (Col) and Cape Verde Island (Cvi) ecotypes. Arabidopsis genome was divided into two regions, common regions in both ecotypes and Col-specific regions, depending on the reads mapping of whole genome bisulfite sequencing libraries from both ecotypes. Ecotype comparison was conducted within common regions and the levels of DNA methylation on common regions and Col-specific regions were also compared. we confirmed transcriptome were relatively dynamic in stage-wise whereas the DNA methylome and small RNAome were more ecotype-dependent. While the global CG methylation remains steady during maturation and germination, we found genic CG methylation differs the most between the two accessions. We also found that ecotype-specific differentially methylated regions (eDMR) are positively correlated with ecotype-specifically expressed 24-nt small RNA clusters. In addition, we discovered that Col-specific regions enriched with transposable elements (TEs) and structural variants that tend to become hypermethylated, and TEs in Col-specific regions were longer in size, more pericentromeric, and more hypermethylated than those in the common regions. Through the analysis of RdDM machinery mutants, we confirmed methylation on Col-specific region as well as on eDMRs in common region are contributed by RdDM pathway. Lastly, we demonstrated that highly variable sequences between ecotypes (HOT regions) were also affected by RdDM-mediated regulation. CONCLUSIONS Through ecotype comparison, we revealed differences and similarities of their transcriptome, methylome and small RNAome both in global and local regions. We validated the contribution of RdDM causing differential methylation of common regions. Hypermethylated ecotype-specific regions contributed by RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway largely depend on the presence of TEs and copy-gain structural variations. These ecotype-specific regions are frequently associated with HOT regions, providing evolutionary insights into the epigenome dynamics within a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehoon Lee
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Yoon Shin
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Kyu Lee
- grid.289247.20000 0001 2171 7818Graduate School of Green-Bio Science and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104 South Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Current address: Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828 South Korea
| | - Kyunghyuk Park
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Haechan Gill
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Youbong Hyun
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Choongwon Jeong
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Jong-Seong Jeon
- grid.289247.20000 0001 2171 7818Graduate School of Green-Bio Science and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104 South Korea
| | - Chanseok Shin
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Yeonhee Choi
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
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21
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Van Antro M, Prelovsek S, Ivanovic S, Gawehns F, Wagemaker NCAM, Mysara M, Horemans N, Vergeer P, Verhoeven KJF. DNA methylation in clonal duckweed (Lemna minor L.) lineages reflects current and historical environmental exposures. Mol Ecol 2023; 32:428-443. [PMID: 36324253 PMCID: PMC10100429 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Environmentally induced DNA methylation variants may mediate gene expression responses to environmental changes. If such induced variants are transgenerationally stable, there is potential for expression responses to persist over multiple generations. Our current knowledge in plants, however, is almost exclusively based on studies conducted in sexually reproducing species where the majority of DNA methylation changes are subject to resetting in germlines, limiting the potential for transgenerational epigenetics stress memory. Asexual reproduction circumvents germlines, and may therefore be more conducive to long-term inheritance of epigenetic marks. Taking advantage of the rapid clonal reproduction of the common duckweed Lemna minor, we hypothesize that long-term, transgenerational stress memory from exposure to high temperature can be detected in DNA methylation profiles. Using a reduced representation bisulphite sequencing approach (epiGBS), we show that temperature stress induces DNA hypermethylation at many CG and CHG cytosine contexts but not CHH. Additionally, differential methylation in CHG context that was observed was still detected in a subset of cytosines, even after 3-12 generations of culturing in a common environment. This demonstrates a memory effect of stress reflected in the methylome and that persists over multiple clonal generations. Structural annotation revealed that this memory effect in CHG methylation was enriched in transposable elements. The observed epigenetic stress memory is probably caused by stable transgenerational persistence of temperature-induced DNA methylation variants across clonal generations. To the extent that such epigenetic memory has functional consequences for gene expression and phenotypes, this result suggests potential for long-term modulation of stress responses in asexual plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgane Van Antro
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Stella Prelovsek
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Slavica Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Mohamed Mysara
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Nele Horemans
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Philippine Vergeer
- Plant Ecology and Physiology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Wageningen University and Research (WUR), Plant Ecology and Nature Conservation Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
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22
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Morgan BL, Donohue K. Parental methylation mediates how progeny respond to environments of parents and of progeny themselves. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:883-899. [PMID: 36201313 PMCID: PMC9758305 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Environments experienced by both parents and offspring influence progeny traits, but the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the balance of parental vs. progeny control of progeny phenotypes are not known. We tested whether DNA methylation in parents and/or progeny mediates responses to environmental cues experienced in both generations. METHODS Using Arabidopsis thaliana, we manipulated parental and progeny DNA methylation both chemically, via 5-azacytidine, and genetically, via mutants of methyltransferase genes, then measured progeny germination responses to simulated canopy shade in parental and progeny generations. KEY RESULTS We first found that germination of offspring responded to parental but not seed demethylation. We further found that parental demethylation reversed the parental effect of canopy in seeds with low (Cvi-1) to intermediate (Col) dormancy, but it obliterated the parental effect in seeds with high dormancy (Cvi-0). Demethylation did so by either suppressing germination of seeds matured under white-light (Cvi-1) or under canopy (Cvi-0), or by increasing the germination of seeds matured under canopy (Col). Disruption of parental methylation also prevented seeds from responding to their own light environment in one genotype (Cvi-0, most dormant), but it enabled seeds to respond to their own environment in another genotype (Cvi-1, least dormant). Using mutant genotypes, we found that both CG and non-CG DNA methylation were involved in parental effects on seed germination. CONCLUSIONS Parental methylation state influences seed germination more strongly than does the progeny's own methylation state, and it influences how seeds respond to environments of parents and progeny in a genotype-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britany L Morgan
- University Program in Ecology Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Kathleen Donohue
- University Program in Ecology Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
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23
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Nunez-Vazquez R, Desvoyes B, Gutierrez C. Histone variants and modifications during abiotic stress response. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:984702. [PMID: 36589114 PMCID: PMC9797984 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.984702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants have developed multiple mechanisms as an adaptive response to abiotic stresses, such as salinity, drought, heat, cold, and oxidative stress. Understanding these regulatory networks is critical for coping with the negative impact of abiotic stress on crop productivity worldwide and, eventually, for the rational design of strategies to improve plant performance. Plant alterations upon stress are driven by changes in transcriptional regulation, which rely on locus-specific changes in chromatin accessibility. This process encompasses post-translational modifications of histone proteins that alter the DNA-histones binding, the exchange of canonical histones by variants that modify chromatin conformation, and DNA methylation, which has an implication in the silencing and activation of hypervariable genes. Here, we review the current understanding of the role of the major epigenetic modifications during the abiotic stress response and discuss the intricate relationship among them.
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24
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Ding Y, Zou LH, Wu J, Ramakrishnan M, Gao Y, Zhao L, Zhou M. The pattern of DNA methylation alteration, and its association with the expression changes of non-coding RNAs and mRNAs in Moso bamboo under abiotic stress. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 325:111451. [PMID: 36075278 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2022.111451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic changes play an important role in plant growth and development and in stress response. However, DNA methylation pattern and its relationship with the expression changes of non-coding RNAs and mRNAs of Moso bamboo in response to abiotic stress is still largely unknown. In this work, we used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing in combination with whole-transcriptome sequencing to analyze the DNA methylation and transcription patterns of mRNAs and non-coding RNAs in Moso bamboo under abiotic stresses such as cold, heat, ultraviolet (UV) and salinity. We found that CHH methylation in the promoter region was positively correlated with gene expression, while CHG and CHH methylations in the gene body regions were negatively associated with gene expression. Moreover, CG and CHG methylations in the promoter regions were negatively correlated with the transcript abundance of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs) and circular RNAs (circRNAs). Similarly, the methylation levels of three contexts in the genic regions were negatively correlated with the transcript abundance of lncRNAs and miRNAs but positively correlated with that of circRNAs. In addition, we suggested that the reduction of 21-nt and 24-nt small interfering RNA (siRNA) expression tended to increase methylation levels in the genic regions. We found that stress-responsive genes such as CRPK1, HSFB2A and CIPK were differentially methylated and expressed. Our results also proposed that DNA methylation may regulate the expression of the transcription factors (TFs) and plant hormone signalling genes such as IAA9, MYC2 and ERF110 in response to abiotic stress. This study firstly reports the abiotic stress-responsive DNA methylation pattern and its involvement of expression of coding RNAs and non-coding RNAs in Moso bamboo. The results expand the knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms in Moso bamboo under abiotic stress and support in-depth deciphering of the function of specific non-coding RNAs in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiqian Ding
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Long-Hai Zou
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China.
| | - Jiajun Wu
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Muthusamy Ramakrishnan
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Yubang Gao
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China
| | - Liangzhen Zhao
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China; Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Mingbing Zhou
- The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture; Institute of Bamboo, Zhejiang A&F University, Lin'an, Hangzhou 311300, China.
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25
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He S, Feng X. DNA methylation dynamics during germline development. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:2240-2251. [PMID: 36478632 PMCID: PMC10108260 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation plays essential homeostatic functions in eukaryotic genomes. In animals, DNA methylation is also developmentally regulated and, in turn, regulates development. In the past two decades, huge research effort has endorsed the understanding that DNA methylation plays a similar role in plant development, especially during sexual reproduction. The power of whole-genome sequencing and cell isolation techniques, as well as bioinformatics tools, have enabled recent studies to reveal dynamic changes in DNA methylation during germline development. Furthermore, the combination of these technological advances with genetics, developmental biology and cell biology tools has revealed functional methylation reprogramming events that control gene and transposon activities in flowering plant germlines. In this review, we discuss the major advances in our knowledge of DNA methylation dynamics during male and female germline development in flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengbo He
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of AgricultureSouth China Agricultural UniversityGuangzhou510642China
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- John Innes Centre, Colney LaneNorwichNR4 7UHUK
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26
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Ichino L, Picard CL, Yun J, Chotai M, Wang S, Lin EK, Papareddy RK, Xue Y, Jacobsen SE. Single-nucleus RNA-seq reveals that MBD5, MBD6, and SILENZIO maintain silencing in the vegetative cell of developing pollen. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111699. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Methylation in the CHH Context Allows to Predict Recombination in Rice. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012505. [PMID: 36293364 PMCID: PMC9604423 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic trait. It is considered a key factor in regulating plant development and physiology, and has been associated with the regulation of several genomic features, including transposon silencing, regulation of gene expression, and recombination rates. Nonetheless, understanding the relation between DNA methylation and recombination rates remains a challenge. This work explores the association between recombination rates and DNA methylation for two commercial rice varieties. The results show negative correlations between recombination rates and methylated cytosine counts for all contexts tested at the same time, and for CG and CHG contexts independently. In contrast, a positive correlation between recombination rates and methylated cytosine count is reported in CHH contexts. Similar behavior is observed when considering only methylated cytosines within genes, transposons, and retrotransposons. Moreover, it is shown that the centromere region strongly affects the relationship between recombination rates and methylation. Finally, machine learning regression models are applied to predict recombination using the count of methylated cytosines in the CHH context as the entrance feature. These findings shed light on the understanding of the recombination landscape of rice and represent a reference framework for future studies in rice breeding, genetics, and epigenetics.
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28
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Xue Y, Zou C, Zhang C, Yu H, Chen B, Wang H. Dynamic DNA methylation changes reveal tissue-specific gene expression in sugarcane. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1036764. [PMID: 36311126 PMCID: PMC9606695 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1036764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important mechanism for the dynamic regulation of gene expression and silencing of transposons during plant developmental processes. Here, we analyzed genome-wide methylation patterns in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) leaves, roots, rinds, and piths at single-base resolution. DNA methylation patterns were similar among the different sugarcane tissues, whereas DNA methylation levels differed. We also found that DNA methylation in different genic regions or sequence contexts plays different roles in gene expression. Differences in methylation among tissues resulted in many differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between tissues, particularly CHH DMRs. Genes overlapping with DMRs tended to be differentially expressed (DEGs) between tissues, and these DMR-associated DEGs were enriched in biological pathways related to tissue function, such as photosynthesis, sucrose synthesis, stress response, transport, and metabolism. Moreover, we observed many DNA methylation valleys (DMVs), which always overlapped with transcription factors (TFs) and sucrose-related genes, such as WRKY, bZIP, WOX, SPS, and FBPase. Collectively, these findings provide significant insights into the complicated interplay between DNA methylation and gene expression and shed light on the epigenetic regulation of sucrose-related genes in sugarcane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chengwu Zou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Hang Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Haifeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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29
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Pang TY. Cross Talk opposing view: The kids will be fine - a bit of parental stress won't affect them: Rodents are not good models for assessing transgenerational influences in humans. J Physiol 2022; 600:4413-4416. [PMID: 36184260 DOI: 10.1113/jp282410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Terence Y Pang
- The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Anatomy & Physiology, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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30
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Conditional GWAS of non-CG transposon methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals major polymorphisms in five genes. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010345. [PMID: 36084135 PMCID: PMC9491579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that the striking natural variation for DNA CHH-methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) of transposons has oligogenic architecture involving major alleles at a handful of known methylation regulators. Here we use a conditional GWAS approach to show that CHG-methylation (mCHG) has a similar genetic architecture—once mCHH is statistically controlled for. We identify five key trans-regulators that appear to modulate mCHG levels, and show that they interact with a previously identified modifier of mCHH in regulating natural transposon mobilization. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark common across eukaryotes. It is associated with transcriptional silencing, in particular of transposable elements. Multiple elements, including epigenetic inheritance, shape DNA methylation patterns, and the complexity makes it challenging to dissect the regulation. Our work on the 1001 Arabidopsis Epigenomes project led to the unexpected discovery that much of the natural variation for CHH methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) on transposable elements could be attributed to allelic variation in three genes known to be involved in epigenetic regulation. However, our analysis of methylation in other sequence contexts (mCHG and mCG) revealed no genetic regulator. Here we show that if mCHG variation is analyzed while taking mCHH into account, mCHG is also strongly influenced by allelic variation in a small number of genes with known or highly plausible direct roles in epigenetic regulation. The presence of common allelic variation of large effect is suggestive of some form of local adaptation. The nature of this adaptation remains obscure, but we present further evidence that allelic variation regulating DNA methylation influences transposon mobilization.
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DNA methylation in transposable elements buffers the connection between three-dimensional chromatin organization and gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. J Adv Res 2022; 42:41-53. [PMID: 35933090 PMCID: PMC9788948 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Polyploidy is a major force in plant evolution and the domestication of cultivated crops. OBJECTIVES The study aimed to explore the relationship and underlying mechanism between three-dimensional (3D) chromatin organization and gene transcription upon rice genome duplication. METHODS The 3D chromatin structures between diploid (2C) and autotetraploid (4C) rice were compared using high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) analysis. The study combined genetics, transcriptomics, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS-seq) and 3D genomics approaches to uncover the mechanism for DNA methylation in modulating gene transcription through 3D chromatin architectures upon rice genome duplication. RESULTS We found that 4C rice presents weakened intra-chromosomal interactions compared to its 2C progenitor in some chromosomes. In addition, we found that changes of 3D chromatin organizations including chromatin compartments, topologically associating domains (TADs), and loops, are uncorrelated with gene transcription. Moreover, DNA methylations in the regulatory sequences of genes in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries are unrelated to their expression. Importantly, although there was no significant difference in the methylation levels in transposable elements (TEs) in differentially expressed gene (DEG) and non-DEG promoters between 2C and 4C rice, we found that the hypermethylated TEs across genes in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries may suppress the expression of these genes. CONCLUSION The study proposed that the rice genome doubling might modulate TE methylation to buffer the effects of chromatin architecture on gene transcription in compartment A/B switched regions and TAD boundaries, resulting in the disconnection between 3D chromatin structure alteration and gene transcription upon rice genome duplication.
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32
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Chen TH, Winefield C. Comprehensive analysis of both long and short read transcriptomes of a clonal and a seed-propagated model species reveal the prerequisites for transcriptional activation of autonomous and non-autonomous transposons in plants. Mob DNA 2022; 13:16. [PMID: 35549762 PMCID: PMC9097378 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-022-00271-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Transposable element (TE) transcription is a precursor to its mobilisation in host genomes. However, the characteristics of expressed TE loci, the identification of self-competent transposon loci contributing to new insertions, and the genomic conditions permitting their mobilisation remain largely unknown. Results Using Vitis vinifera embryogenic callus, we explored the impact of biotic stressors on transposon transcription through the exposure of the callus to live cultures of an endemic grapevine yeast, Hanseniaspora uvarum. We found that only 1.7–2.5% of total annotated TE loci were transcribed, of which 5–10% of these were full-length, and the expressed TE loci exhibited a strong location bias towards expressed genes. These trends in transposon transcription were also observed in RNA-seq data from Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type plants but not in epigenetically compromised Arabidopsis ddm1 mutants. Moreover, differentially expressed TE loci in the grapevine tended to share expression patterns with co-localised differentially expressed genes. Utilising nanopore cDNA sequencing, we found a strong correlation between the inclusion of intronic TEs in gene transcripts and the presence of premature termination codons in these transcripts. Finally, we identified low levels of full-length transcripts deriving from structurally intact TE loci in the grapevine model. Conclusion Our observations in two disparate plant models representing clonally and seed propagated plant species reveal a closely connected transcriptional relationship between TEs and co-localised genes, particularly when epigenetic silencing is not compromised. We found that the stress treatment alone was insufficient to induce large-scale full-length transcription from structurally intact TE loci, a necessity for non-autonomous and autonomous mobilisation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13100-022-00271-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Hsuan Chen
- Department of Wine, Food, and Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647, New Zealand.,Present address: The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Lincoln, 7608, New Zealand
| | - Christopher Winefield
- Department of Wine, Food, and Molecular Biosciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647, New Zealand.
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Yang F, Pecinka A. Multiple Roles of SMC5/6 Complex during Plant Sexual Reproduction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094503. [PMID: 35562893 PMCID: PMC9099584 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin-based processes are essential for cellular functions. Structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMCs) are evolutionarily conserved molecular machines that organize chromosomes throughout the cell cycle, mediate chromosome compaction, promote DNA repair, or control sister chromatid attachment. The SMC5/6 complex is known for its pivotal role during the maintenance of genome stability. However, a dozen recent plant studies expanded the repertoire of SMC5/6 complex functions to the entire plant sexual reproductive phase. The SMC5/6 complex is essential in meiosis, where its activity must be precisely regulated to allow for normal meiocyte development. Initially, it is attenuated by the recombinase RAD51 to allow for efficient strand invasion by the meiosis-specific recombinase DMC1. At later stages, it is essential for the normal ratio of interfering and non-interfering crossovers, detoxifying aberrant joint molecules, preventing chromosome fragmentation, and ensuring normal chromosome/sister chromatid segregation. The latter meiotic defects lead to the production of diploid male gametes in Arabidopsis SMC5/6 complex mutants, increased seed abortion, and production of triploid offspring. The SMC5/6 complex is directly involved in controlling normal embryo and endosperm cell divisions, and pioneer studies show that the SMC5/6 complex is also important for seed development and normal plant growth in cereals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fen Yang
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research (CRH), Institute of Experimental Botany (IEB), Czech Academy of Sciences, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic;
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Pecinka
- Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research (CRH), Institute of Experimental Botany (IEB), Czech Academy of Sciences, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic;
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 77900 Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Correspondence:
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Muyle AM, Seymour DK, Lv Y, Huettel B, Gaut BS. Gene-body methylation in plants: mechanisms, functions and important implications for understanding evolutionary processes. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6550137. [PMID: 35298639 PMCID: PMC8995044 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene body methylation (gbM) is an epigenetic mark where gene exons are methylated in the CG context only, as opposed to CHG and CHH contexts (where H stands for A, C, or T). CG methylation is transmitted transgenerationally in plants, opening the possibility that gbM may be shaped by adaptation. This presupposes, however, that gbM has a function that affects phenotype, which has been a topic of debate in the literature. Here, we review our current knowledge of gbM in plants. We start by presenting the well-elucidated mechanisms of plant gbM establishment and maintenance. We then review more controversial topics: the evolution of gbM and the potential selective pressures that act on it. Finally, we discuss the potential functions of gbM that may affect organismal phenotypes: gene expression stabilization and upregulation, inhibition of aberrant transcription (reverse and internal), prevention of aberrant intron retention, and protection against TE insertions. To bolster the review of these topics, we include novel analyses to assess the effect of gbM on transcripts. Overall, a growing body of literature finds that gbM correlates with levels and patterns of gene expression. It is not clear, however, if this is a causal relationship. Altogether, functional work suggests that the effects of gbM, if any, must be relatively small, but there is nonetheless evidence that it is shaped by natural selection. We conclude by discussing the potential adaptive character of gbM and its implications for an updated view of the mechanisms of adaptation in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yuanda Lv
- Provincial Key Laboratory of Agrobiology, Institute of Crop Germplasm and Biotechnology, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing, China
| | - Bruno Huettel
- Max Planck Genome Centre Cologne, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding, Cologne, Germany
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35
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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: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.5] [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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36
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Huc J, Dziasek K, Pachamuthu K, Woh T, Köhler C, Borges F. Bypassing reproductive barriers in hybrid seeds using chemically induced epimutagenesis. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:989-1001. [PMID: 34792584 PMCID: PMC8894923 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The triploid block, which prevents interploidy hybridizations in flowering plants, is characterized by a failure in endosperm development, arrest in embryogenesis, and seed collapse. Many genetic components of triploid seed lethality have been successfully identified in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, most notably the paternally expressed genes (PEGs), which are upregulated in tetraploid endosperm with paternal excess. Previous studies have shown that the paternal epigenome is a key determinant of the triploid block response, as the loss of DNA methylation in diploid pollen suppresses the triploid block almost completely. Here, we demonstrate that triploid seed collapse is bypassed in Arabidopsis plants treated with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Azacytidine during seed germination and early growth. We identified strong suppressor lines showing stable transgenerational inheritance of hypomethylation in the CG context, as well as normalized expression of PEGs in triploid seeds. Importantly, differentially methylated loci segregate in the progeny of "epimutagenized" plants, which may allow epialleles involved in the triploid block response to be identified in future studies. Finally, we demonstrate that chemically induced epimutagenesis facilitates hybridization between different Capsella species, thus potentially emerging as a strategy for producing triploids and interspecific hybrids with high agronomic interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Huc
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Katarzyna Dziasek
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Linnean Center of Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Kannan Pachamuthu
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Tristan Woh
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000, Versailles, France
| | - Claudia Köhler
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala Biocenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Linnean Center of Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Filipe Borges
- Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 78000, Versailles, France
- Author for correspondence:
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Gao J, Zhang K, Cheng YJ, Yu S, Shang GD, Wang FX, Wu LY, Xu ZG, Mai YX, Zhao XY, Zhai D, Lian H, Wang JW. A robust mechanism for resetting juvenility during each generation in Arabidopsis. NATURE PLANTS 2022; 8:257-268. [PMID: 35318444 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01110-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Multicellular organisms undergo several developmental transitions during their life cycles. In contrast to animals, the plant germline is derived from adult somatic cells. As such, the juvenility of a plant must be reset in each generation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the decline in the levels of miR156/7 with age drives plant maturation. Here we show that the resetting of plant juvenility during each generation is mediated by de novo activation of MIR156/7 in Arabidopsis. Blocking this process leads to a shortened juvenile phase and premature flowering in the offspring. In particular, an Arabidopsis plant devoid of miR156/7 flowers even without formation of rosette leaves in long days. Mechanistically, we find that different MIR156/7 genes are reset at different developmental stages through distinct reprogramming routes. Among these genes, MIR156A, B and C are activated de novo during sexual reproduction and embryogenesis, while MIR157A and C are reset upon seed germination. This redundancy generates a robust reset mechanism that ensures accurate restoration of the juvenile phase in each plant generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Gao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Ke Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying-Juan Cheng
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Sha Yu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Guan-Dong Shang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Fu-Xiang Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lian-Yu Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhou-Geng Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yan-Xia Mai
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Xin-Yan Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dong Zhai
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Heng Lian
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences (CEMPS), Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology (SIPPE), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, China.
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
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38
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Han B, Wu D, Zhang Y, Li DZ, Xu W, Liu A. Epigenetic regulation of seed-specific gene expression by DNA methylation valleys in castor bean. BMC Biol 2022; 20:57. [PMID: 35227267 PMCID: PMC8886767 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01259-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the processes governing angiosperm seed growth and development is essential both for fundamental plant biology and for agronomic purposes. Master regulators of angiosperm seed development are expressed in a seed-specific manner. However, it is unclear how this seed specificity of transcription is established. In some vertebrates, DNA methylation valleys (DMVs) are highly conserved and strongly associated with key developmental genes, but comparable studies in plants are limited to Arabidopsis and soybean. Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is a valuable model system for the study of seed biology in dicots and source of economically important castor oil. Unlike other dicots such as Arabidopsis and soybean, castor bean seeds have a relatively large and persistent endosperm throughout seed development, representing substantial structural differences in mature seeds. Here, we performed an integrated analysis of RNA-seq, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, and ChIP-seq for various histone marks in the castor bean. RESULTS We present a gene expression atlas covering 16 representative tissues and identified 1162 seed-specific genes in castor bean (Ricinus communis), a valuable model for the study of seed biology in dicots. Upon whole-genome DNA methylation analyses, we detected 32,567 DMVs across five tissues, covering ~33% of the castor bean genome. These DMVs are highly hypomethylated during development and conserved across plant species. We found that DMVs have the potential to activate transcription, especially that of tissue-specific genes. Focusing on seed development, we found that many key developmental regulators of seed/endosperm development, including AGL61, AGL62, LEC1, LEC2, ABI3, and WRI1, were located within DMVs. ChIP-seq for five histone modifications in leaves and seeds clearly showed that the vast majority of histone modification peaks were enriched within DMVs, and their remodeling within DMVs has a critical role in the regulation of seed-specific gene expression. Importantly, further experiment analysis revealed that distal DMVs may act as cis-regulatory elements, like enhancers, to activate downstream gene expression. CONCLUSIONS Our results point to the importance of DMVs and special distal DMVs behaving like enhancers, in the regulation of seed-specific genes, via the reprogramming of histone modifications within DMVs. Furthermore, these results provide a comprehensive understanding of the epigenetic regulator roles in seed development in castor bean and other important crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Han
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Di Wu
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Economic Plants and Biotechnology, Yunnan Key Laboratory for Wild Plant Resources, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Aizhong Liu
- Key Laboratory for Forest Resources Conservation and Utilization in the Southwest Mountains of China, Ministry of Education, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming, 650224, China.
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Matsunaga W, Inukai T, Masuta C. Progressive DNA demethylation in epigenetic hybrids between parental plants with and without methylation of the transgene promoter. TAG. THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. THEORETISCHE UND ANGEWANDTE GENETIK 2022; 135:883-893. [PMID: 35028697 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-021-04004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Crosses of parents that differ in their DNA methylation states leads to progressive demethylation in the F1 hybrids. In plant breeding research, hybrid vigor in F1 hybrids is known to be a very important phenomenon. Hybrid vigor, or heterosis, refers to the fact that F1 hybrids from crosses with a certain combination of parents have traits that are superior to those of the parents. In addition, DNA methylation is an important factor that affects gene expression in plant genomes and contributes to hybrid vigor. We introduced the 35S promoter sequence into the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)-based vector and inoculated the GFP-expressing transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana line 16c with the recombinant virus specifically to induce DNA methylation on the 35S promoter. For plants that had transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) of GFP established by methylation of the 35S promoter (35S-TGS), TGS was fully maintained in their later self-pollinated generations. When the 35S-TGS plants were crossed with 16c, which does not contain DNA methylation in the 35S promoter, the F1 hybrids unexpectedly became progressively DNA demethylated as the plants grew. We hypothesis that in F1 hybrids that are produced by a cross between parents with extremely different gene methylation states, the methylation state of the genes in question may shift more and more to hypomethylation as the plants grow. This progressive demethylation phenomenon observed in this study may be important in plant breeding to reactivate the genes which were silenced by DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wataru Matsunaga
- Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Inukai
- Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan.
| | - Chikara Masuta
- Research Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita 9 Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8589, Japan.
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Decoding the sorghum methylome: understanding epigenetic contributions to agronomic traits. Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:583-596. [PMID: 35212360 PMCID: PMC9022969 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a chromatin modification that plays an essential role in regulating gene expression and genome stability and it is typically associated with gene silencing and heterochromatin. Owing to its heritability, alterations in the patterns of DNA methylation have the potential to provide for epigenetic inheritance of traits. Contemporary epigenomic technologies provide information beyond sequence variation and could supply alternative sources of trait variation for improvement in crops such as sorghum. Yet, compared with other species such as maize and rice, the sorghum DNA methylome is far less well understood. The distribution of CG, CHG, and CHH methylation in the genome is different compared with other species. CG and CHG methylation levels peak around centromeric segments in the sorghum genome and are far more depleted in the gene dense chromosome arms. The genes regulating DNA methylation in sorghum are also yet to be functionally characterised; better understanding of their identity and functional analysis of DNA methylation machinery mutants in diverse genotypes will be important to better characterise the sorghum methylome. Here, we catalogue homologous genes encoding methylation regulatory enzymes in sorghum based on genes in Arabidopsis, maize, and rice. Discovering variation in the methylome may uncover epialleles that provide extra information to explain trait variation and has the potential to be applied in epigenome-wide association studies or genomic prediction. DNA methylation can also improve genome annotations and discover regulatory elements underlying traits. Thus, improving our knowledge of the sorghum methylome can enhance our understanding of the molecular basis of traits and may be useful to improve sorghum performance.
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41
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Lu D, Zhai J, Xi M. Regulation of DNA Methylation During Plant Endosperm Development. Front Genet 2022; 13:760690. [PMID: 35222527 PMCID: PMC8867698 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.760690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The endosperm is a vital storage tissue in plant seeds. It provides nutrients to the embryos or the seedlings during seed development and germination. Although the genetic information in the endosperm cannot be passed directly to the next generation, its inherited epigenetic marks affect gene expression and its development and, consequently, embryo and seed growth. DNA methylation is a major form of epigenetic modification that can be investigated to understand the epigenome changes during reproductive development. Therefore, it is of great significance to explore the effects of endosperm DNA methylation on crop yield and traits. In this review, we discuss the changes in DNA methylation and the resulting imprinted gene expression levels during plant endosperm development, as well as their effects on seed development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jixian Zhai
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Plant and Food Science, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Jixian Zhai, ; Mengli Xi,
| | - Mengli Xi
- Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology of Ministry of Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Jixian Zhai, ; Mengli Xi,
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42
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Wang L, Zheng K, Zeng L, Xu D, Zhu T, Yin Y, Zhan H, Wu Y, Yang DL. Reinforcement of CHH methylation through RNA-directed DNA methylation ensures sexual reproduction in rice. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 188:1189-1209. [PMID: 34791444 PMCID: PMC8825330 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiab531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark that regulates the expression of genes and transposons. RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) is the main molecular pathway responsible for de novo DNA methylation in plants. Although the mechanism of RdDM has been well studied in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), most mutations in RdDM genes cause no remarkable developmental defects in Arabidopsis. Here, we isolated and cloned Five Elements Mountain 1 (FEM1), which encodes RNA-dependent RNA polymerase 2 (OsRDR2) in rice (Oryza sativa). Mutation in OsRDR2 abolished the accumulation of 24-nt small interfering RNAs, and consequently substantially decreased genome-wide CHH (H = A, C, or T) methylation. Moreover, male and female reproductive development was disturbed, which led to sterility in osrdr2 mutants. We discovered that OsRDR2-dependent DNA methylation may regulate the expression of multiple key genes involved in stamen development, meiosis, and pollen viability. In wild-type (WT) plants but not in osrdr2 mutants, genome-wide CHH methylation levels were greater in panicles, stamens, and pistils than in seedlings. The global increase of CHH methylation in reproductive organs of the WT was mainly explained by the enhancement of RdDM activity, which includes OsRDR2 activity. Our results, which revealed a global increase in CHH methylation through enhancement of RdDM activity in reproductive organs, suggest a crucial role for OsRDR2 in the sexual reproduction of rice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Kezhi Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Longjun Zeng
- Yichun Academy of Science, Yichun 336000, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Dachao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Tianxin Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yumeng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Huadong Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dong-Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Zhou M, Coruh C, Xu G, Martins LM, Bourbousse C, Lambolez A, Law JA. The CLASSY family controls tissue-specific DNA methylation patterns in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:244. [PMID: 35017514 PMCID: PMC8752594 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-27690-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation shapes the epigenetic landscape of the genome, plays critical roles in regulating gene expression, and ensures transposon silencing. As is evidenced by the numerous defects associated with aberrant DNA methylation landscapes, establishing proper tissue-specific methylation patterns is critical. Yet, how such differences arise remains a largely open question in both plants and animals. Here we demonstrate that CLASSY1-4 (CLSY1-4), four locus-specific regulators of DNA methylation, also control tissue-specific methylation patterns, with the most striking pattern observed in ovules where CLSY3 and CLSY4 control DNA methylation at loci with a highly conserved DNA motif. On a more global scale, we demonstrate that specific clsy mutants are sufficient to shift the epigenetic landscape between tissues. Together, these findings reveal substantial epigenetic diversity between tissues and assign these changes to specific CLSY proteins, elucidating how locus-specific targeting combined with tissue-specific expression enables the CLSYs to generate epigenetic diversity during plant development. CLASSY (CLSY) proteins regulate DNA methylation at specific loci in the Arabidopsis genome. Here the authors show that the CLSYs also control tissue-specific DNA methylation, including at siren loci in ovules, and that the lack of an individual CLSYs can shift the epigenetic landscape between tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China.,Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA
| | - Ceyda Coruh
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA
| | - Guanghui Xu
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA
| | - Laura M Martins
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA
| | - Clara Bourbousse
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA.,Institut de biologie de l'Ecole normale supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Alice Lambolez
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA.,RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.,Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyō-ku, Tōkyō, 113-8654, Japan
| | - Julie A Law
- Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, 92037, USA. .,Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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44
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Robin AN, Denton KK, Horna Lowell ES, Dulay T, Ebrahimi S, Johnson GC, Mai D, O’Fallon S, Philson CS, Speck HP, Zhang XP, Nonacs P. Major Evolutionary Transitions and the Roles of Facilitation and Information in Ecosystem Transformations. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.711556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
A small number of extraordinary “Major Evolutionary Transitions” (METs) have attracted attention among biologists. They comprise novel forms of individuality and information, and are defined in relation to organismal complexity, irrespective of broader ecosystem-level effects. This divorce between evolutionary and ecological consequences qualifies unicellular eukaryotes, for example, as a MET although they alone failed to significantly alter ecosystems. Additionally, this definition excludes revolutionary innovations not fitting into either MET type (e.g., photosynthesis). We recombine evolution with ecology to explore how and why entire ecosystems were newly created or radically altered – as Major System Transitions (MSTs). In doing so, we highlight important morphological adaptations that spread through populations because of their immediate, direct-fitness advantages for individuals. These are Major Competitive Transitions, or MCTs. We argue that often multiple METs and MCTs must be present to produce MSTs. For example, sexually-reproducing, multicellular eukaryotes (METs) with anisogamy and exoskeletons (MCTs) significantly altered ecosystems during the Cambrian. Therefore, we introduce the concepts of Facilitating Evolutionary Transitions (FETs) and Catalysts as key events or agents that are insufficient themselves to set a MST into motion, but are essential parts of synergies that do. We further elucidate the role of information in MSTs as transitions across five levels: (I) Encoded; (II) Epigenomic; (III) Learned; (IV) Inscribed; and (V) Dark Information. The latter is ‘authored’ by abiotic entities rather than biological organisms. Level IV has arguably allowed humans to produce a MST, and V perhaps makes us a FET for a future transition that melds biotic and abiotic life into one entity. Understanding the interactive processes involved in past major transitions will illuminate both current events and the surprising possibilities that abiotically-created information may produce.
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Montgomery SA, Berger F. The evolution of imprinting in plants: beyond the seed. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2021; 34:373-383. [PMID: 33914165 PMCID: PMC8566399 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00410-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Genomic imprinting results in the biased expression of alleles depending on if the allele was inherited from the mother or the father. Despite the prevalence of sexual reproduction across eukaryotes, imprinting is only found in placental mammals, flowering plants, and some insects, suggesting independent evolutionary origins. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the selective pressures that favour the innovation of imprinted gene expression and each differs in their experimental support and predictions. Due to the lack of investigation of imprinting in land plants, other than angiosperms with triploid endosperm, we do not know whether imprinting occurs in species lacking endosperm and with embryos developing on maternal plants. Here, we discuss the potential for uncovering additional examples of imprinting in land plants and how these observations may provide additional support for one or more existing imprinting hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A Montgomery
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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Vigneau J, Borg M. The epigenetic origin of life history transitions in plants and algae. PLANT REPRODUCTION 2021; 34:267-285. [PMID: 34236522 PMCID: PMC8566409 DOI: 10.1007/s00497-021-00422-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Plants and algae have a complex life history that transitions between distinct life forms called the sporophyte and the gametophyte. This phenomenon-called the alternation of generations-has fascinated botanists and phycologists for over 170 years. Despite the mesmerizing array of life histories described in plants and algae, we are only now beginning to learn about the molecular mechanisms controlling them and how they evolved. Epigenetic silencing plays an essential role in regulating gene expression during multicellular development in eukaryotes, raising questions about its impact on the life history strategy of plants and algae. Here, we trace the origin and function of epigenetic mechanisms across the plant kingdom, from unicellular green algae through to angiosperms, and attempt to reconstruct the evolutionary steps that influenced life history transitions during plant evolution. Central to this evolutionary scenario is the adaption of epigenetic silencing from a mechanism of genome defense to the repression and control of alternating generations. We extend our discussion beyond the green lineage and highlight the peculiar case of the brown algae. Unlike their unicellular diatom relatives, brown algae lack epigenetic silencing pathways common to animals and plants yet display complex life histories, hinting at the emergence of novel life history controls during stramenopile evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérômine Vigneau
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Michael Borg
- Department of Algal Development and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany.
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47
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Fang H, Shao Y, Wu G. Reprogramming of Histone H3 Lysine Methylation During Plant Sexual Reproduction. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:782450. [PMID: 34917115 PMCID: PMC8669150 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.782450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants undergo extensive reprogramming of chromatin status during sexual reproduction, a process vital to cell specification and pluri- or totipotency establishment. As a crucial way to regulate chromatin organization and transcriptional activity, histone modification can be reprogrammed during sporogenesis, gametogenesis, and embryogenesis in flowering plants. In this review, we first introduce enzymes required for writing, recognizing, and removing methylation marks on lysine residues in histone H3 tails, and describe their differential expression patterns in reproductive tissues, then we summarize their functions in the reprogramming of H3 lysine methylation and the corresponding chromatin re-organization during sexual reproduction in Arabidopsis, and finally we discuss the molecular significance of histone reprogramming in maintaining the pluri- or totipotency of gametes and the zygote, and in establishing novel cell fates throughout the plant life cycle. Despite rapid achievements in understanding the molecular mechanism and function of the reprogramming of chromatin status in plant development, the research in this area still remains a challenge. Technological breakthroughs in cell-specific epigenomic profiling in the future will ultimately provide a solution for this challenge.
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48
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Inagaki S. Silencing and anti-silencing mechanisms that shape the epigenome in plants. Genes Genet Syst 2021; 96:217-228. [PMID: 34719532 DOI: 10.1266/ggs.21-00041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenome information mediates genome function and maintenance by regulating gene expression and chromatin organization. Because the epigenome pattern can change in response to internal and external environments, it may underlie an adaptive genome response that modulates phenotypes during development and in changing environments. Here I summarize recent progress in our understanding of how epigenome patterns are shaped and modulated by concerted actions of silencing and anti-silencing factors mainly in Arabidopsis thaliana. I discuss the dynamic nature of epigenome regulation, which is realized by cooperation and counteraction among silencing and anti-silencing factors, and how the dynamic epigenome mediates robust and plastic responses of plants to fluctuating environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soichi Inagaki
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo.,PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency
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49
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Ehrenhofer-Murray AE. Increased CG, CHG and CHH methylation at the cycloidea gene in the "Peloria" mutant of Linaria vulgaris. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 573:112-116. [PMID: 34403807 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Heritable DNA methylation variation is frequently observed in natural populations of plants, but is thought mostly to be functionally inconsequential. An exception to this is the "Peloria" mutant of Linaria vulgaris, which was originally described by Carl von Linné in 1744. A study in 1999 found that the Peloria phenotype is caused by an epiallele of the L. vulgaris cycloidea homolog Lcyc that showed increased levels of DNA methylation compared to wild-type. The DNA methylation results in silencing of Lcyc, which causes radial flower symmetry in the peloric mutant, whereas wild-type plants have flowers with bilateral symmetry. However, a detailed view of DNA methylation at Lcyc at the single-nucleotide level has not been available. In this study, we investigated DNA methylation at Lcyc and, as a control, at the LvHIRZ gene in wild-type and peloric plants of L. vulgaris using DNA bisulfite treatment coupled to next-generation sequencing. We found strong increases in CHG and CHH methylation at Lcyc, but not LvHIRZ, in Peloria. CG methylation was also increased, but wild-type Lcyc also showed moderate levels of CG methylation. Our results suggest that DNA methylation in all three sequence contexts has been maintained, and potentially transgenerationally inherited, in the peloric L. vulgaris population over decades or even centuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann E Ehrenhofer-Murray
- Institut für Biologie, Lebenswissenschaftliche Fakultät, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, 10099, Berlin, Germany.
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50
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Huang J, Dong J, Qu LJ. From birth to function: Male gametophyte development in flowering plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 63:102118. [PMID: 34625367 PMCID: PMC9039994 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Male germline development in flowering plants involves two distinct and successive phases, microsporogenesis and microgametogenesis, which involve one meiosis followed by two rounds of mitosis. Many aspects of distinctions after mitosis between the vegetative cell and the male germ cells are seen, from morphology to structure, and the differential functions of the two cell types in the male gametophyte are differentially needed and required for double fertilization. The two sperm cells, carriers of the hereditary substances, depend on the vegetative cell/pollen tube to be delivered to the female gametophyte for double fertilization. Thus, the intercellular communication and coordinated activity within the male gametophyte probably represent the most subtle regulation in flowering plants to guarantee the success of reproduction. This review will focus on what we have known about the differentiation process and the functional diversification of the vegetative cell and the male germ cell, the most crucial cell types for plant fertility and crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Huang
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at the College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China; Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Juan Dong
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA; Department of Plant Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08901, USA.
| | - Li-Jia Qu
- State Key Laboratory for Protein and Plant Gene Research, Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences at the College of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China; The National Plant Gene Research Center (Beijing), Beijing 100101, People's Republic of China.
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