1
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Zhang H, Zhu JK. Epigenetic gene regulation in plants and its potential applications in crop improvement. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00769-1. [PMID: 39192154 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00769-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation, also known as 5-methylcytosine, is an epigenetic modification that has crucial functions in plant growth, development and adaptation. The cellular DNA methylation level is tightly regulated by the combined action of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases. Protein complexes involved in the targeting and interpretation of DNA methylation have been identified, revealing intriguing roles of methyl-DNA binding proteins and molecular chaperones. Structural studies and in vitro reconstituted enzymatic systems have provided mechanistic insights into RNA-directed DNA methylation, the main pathway catalysing de novo methylation in plants. A better understanding of the regulatory mechanisms will enable locus-specific manipulation of the DNA methylation status. CRISPR-dCas9-based epigenome editing tools are being developed for this goal. Given that DNA methylation patterns can be stably transmitted through meiosis, and that large phenotypic variations can be contributed by epimutations, epigenome editing holds great promise in crop breeding by creating additional phenotypic variability on the same genetic material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Zhang
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Science, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Institute of Advanced Biotechnology and School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
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2
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Zhang Y, Jang H, Luo Z, Dong Y, Xu Y, Kantamneni Y, Schmitz RJ. Dynamic evolution of the heterochromatin sensing histone demethylase IBM1. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011358. [PMID: 38991029 PMCID: PMC11265718 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is critical for maintaining genome stability, especially in flowering plants, where it relies on a feedback loop involving the H3K9 methyltransferase, KRYPTONITE (KYP), and the DNA methyltransferase CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3). The H3K9 demethylase INCREASED IN BONSAI METHYLATION 1 (IBM1) counteracts the detrimental consequences of KYP-CMT3 activity in transcribed genes. IBM1 expression in Arabidopsis is uniquely regulated by methylation of the 7th intron, allowing it to monitor global H3K9me2 levels. We show the methylated intron is prevalent across flowering plants and its underlying sequence exhibits dynamic evolution. We also find extensive genetic and expression variations in KYP, CMT3, and IBM1 across flowering plants. We identify Arabidopsis accessions resembling weak ibm1 mutants and Brassicaceae species with reduced IBM1 expression or deletions. Evolution towards reduced IBM1 activity in some flowering plants could explain the frequent natural occurrence of diminished or lost CMT3 activity and loss of gene body DNA methylation, as cmt3 mutants in A. thaliana mitigate the deleterious effects of IBM1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinwen Zhang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Hosung Jang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Ziliang Luo
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yinxin Dong
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yangyang Xu
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Yamini Kantamneni
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Robert J. Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
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3
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Pečenková T, Potocký M, Stegmann M. More than meets the eye: knowns and unknowns of the trafficking of small secreted proteins in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2024; 75:3713-3730. [PMID: 38693754 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Small proteins represent a significant portion of the cargo transported through plant secretory pathways, playing crucial roles in developmental processes, fertilization, and responses to environmental stresses. Despite the importance of small secreted proteins, substantial knowledge gaps persist regarding the regulatory mechanisms governing their trafficking along the secretory pathway, and their ultimate localization or destination. To address these gaps, we conducted a comprehensive literature review, focusing particularly on trafficking and localization of Arabidopsis small secreted proteins with potential biochemical and/or signaling roles in the extracellular space, typically those within the size range of 101-200 amino acids. Our investigation reveals that while at least six members of the 21 mentioned families have a confirmed extracellular localization, eight exhibit intracellular localization, including cytoplasmic, nuclear, and chloroplastic locations, despite the presence of N-terminal signal peptides. Further investigation into the trafficking and secretion mechanisms of small protein cargo could not only deepen our understanding of plant cell biology and physiology but also provide a foundation for genetic manipulation strategies leading to more efficient plant cultivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Pečenková
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 263, 165 02, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Potocký
- Institute of Experimental Botany of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Rozvojová 263, 165 02, Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Department of Experimental Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 128 44, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Stegmann
- Technical University Munich, School of Life Sciences, Phytopathology, Emil-Ramann-Str. 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
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4
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Bogomolov A, Zolotareva K, Filonov S, Chadaeva I, Rasskazov D, Sharypova E, Podkolodnyy N, Ponomarenko P, Savinkova L, Tverdokhleb N, Khandaev B, Kondratyuk E, Podkolodnaya O, Zemlyanskaya E, Kolchanov NA, Ponomarenko M. AtSNP_TATAdb: Candidate Molecular Markers of Plant Advantages Related to Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms within Proximal Promoters of Arabidopsis thaliana L. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:607. [PMID: 38203780 PMCID: PMC10779315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010607] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The mainstream of the post-genome target-assisted breeding in crop plant species includes biofortification such as high-throughput phenotyping along with genome-based selection. Therefore, in this work, we used the Web-service Plant_SNP_TATA_Z-tester, which we have previously developed, to run a uniform in silico analysis of the transcriptional alterations of 54,013 protein-coding transcripts from 32,833 Arabidopsis thaliana L. genes caused by 871,707 SNPs located in the proximal promoter region. The analysis identified 54,993 SNPs as significantly decreasing or increasing gene expression through changes in TATA-binding protein affinity to the promoters. The existence of these SNPs in highly conserved proximal promoters may be explained as intraspecific diversity kept by the stabilizing natural selection. To support this, we hand-annotated papers on some of the Arabidopsis genes possessing these SNPs or on their orthologs in other plant species and demonstrated the effects of changes in these gene expressions on plant vital traits. We integrated in silico estimates of the TBP-promoter affinity in the AtSNP_TATAdb knowledge base and showed their significant correlations with independent in vivo experimental data. These correlations appeared to be robust to variations in statistical criteria, genomic environment of TATA box regions, plants species and growing conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Bogomolov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Karina Zolotareva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Sergey Filonov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Natural Science Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Irina Chadaeva
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Dmitry Rasskazov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Ekaterina Sharypova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Nikolay Podkolodnyy
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathematical Geophysics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Petr Ponomarenko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Ludmila Savinkova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Natalya Tverdokhleb
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Bato Khandaev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Natural Science Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Kondratyuk
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Siberian Federal Scientific Centre of Agro-BioTechnologies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Krasnoobsk 630501, Novosibirsk Region, Russia
| | - Olga Podkolodnaya
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
| | - Elena Zemlyanskaya
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Natural Science Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Nikolay A. Kolchanov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
- Natural Science Department, Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Mikhail Ponomarenko
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia; (A.B.); (K.Z.); (S.F.); (I.C.); (D.R.); (E.S.); (N.P.); (P.P.); (L.S.); (N.T.); (B.K.); (E.K.); (O.P.); (E.Z.); (N.A.K.)
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5
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Xie Y, Ying S, Li Z, Zhang Y, Zhu J, Zhang J, Wang M, Diao H, Wang H, Zhang Y, Ye L, Zhuang Y, Zhao F, Teng W, Zhang W, Tong Y, Cho J, Dong Z, Xue Y, Zhang Y. Transposable element-initiated enhancer-like elements generate the subgenome-biased spike specificity of polyploid wheat. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7465. [PMID: 37978184 PMCID: PMC10656477 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42771-9] [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: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) comprise ~85% of the common wheat genome, which are highly diverse among subgenomes, possibly contribute to polyploid plasticity, but the causality is only assumed. Here, by integrating data from gene expression cap analysis and epigenome profiling via hidden Markov model in common wheat, we detect a large proportion of enhancer-like elements (ELEs) derived from TEs producing nascent noncoding transcripts, namely ELE-RNAs, which are well indicative of the regulatory activity of ELEs. Quantifying ELE-RNA transcriptome across typical developmental stages reveals that TE-initiated ELE-RNAs are mainly from RLG_famc7.3 specifically expanded in subgenome A. Acquisition of spike-specific transcription factor binding likely confers spike-specific expression of RLG_famc7.3-initiated ELE-RNAs. Knockdown of RLG_famc7.3-initiated ELE-RNAs resulted in global downregulation of spike-specific genes and abnormal spike development. These findings link TE expansion to regulatory specificity and polyploid developmental plasticity, highlighting the functional impact of TE-driven regulatory innovation on polyploid evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Songbei Ying
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Zijuan Li
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu'e Zhang
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, and The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jiafu Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Editing, Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Jinyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Meiyue Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Huishan Diao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Haoyu Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Henan University, School of Life Science, Kaifeng, Henan, 457000, China
| | - Yuyun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Luhuan Ye
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yili Zhuang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Fei Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wan Teng
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, and The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, CIC-MCP, Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210095, China
| | - Yiping Tong
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, and The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jungnam Cho
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
| | - Zhicheng Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Adaptation and Molecular Design, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Editing, Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Yongbiao Xue
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, and The Innovation Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Centre for Bioinformation, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Yijing Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China.
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Tselika M, Belmezos N, Kallemi P, Andronis C, Chiumenti M, Navarro B, Lavigne M, Di Serio F, Kalantidis K, Katsarou K. PSTVd infection in Nicotiana benthamiana plants has a minor yet detectable effect on CG methylation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1258023. [PMID: 38023875 PMCID: PMC10645062 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1258023] [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: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Viroids are small circular RNAs infecting a wide range of plants. They do not code for any protein or peptide and therefore rely on their structure for their biological cycle. Observed phenotypes of viroid infected plants are thought to occur through changes at the transcriptional/translational level of the host. A mechanism involved in such changes is RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Till today, there are contradictory works about viroids interference of RdDM. In this study, we investigated the epigenetic effect of viroid infection in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Using potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) as the triggering pathogen and via bioinformatic analyses, we identified endogenous gene promoters and transposable elements targeted by 24 nt host siRNAs that differentially accumulated in PSTVd-infected and healthy plants. The methylation status of these targets was evaluated following digestion with methylation-sensitive restriction enzymes coupled with PCR amplification, and bisulfite sequencing. In addition, we used Methylation Sensitive Amplification Polymorphism (MSAP) followed by sequencing (MSAP-seq) to study genomic DNA methylation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in CG sites upon viroid infection. In this study we identified a limited number of target loci differentially methylated upon PSTVd infection. These results enhance our understanding of the epigenetic host changes as a result of pospiviroid infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha Tselika
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | | | - Paraskevi Kallemi
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Christos Andronis
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Michela Chiumenti
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Beatriz Navarro
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Matthieu Lavigne
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Francesco Di Serio
- Istituto per la Protezione Sostenibile delle Piante, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Bari, Italy
| | - Kriton Kalantidis
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
| | - Konstantina Katsarou
- Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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7
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Zhu P, Schon M, Questa J, Nodine M, Dean C. Causal role of a promoter polymorphism in natural variation of the Arabidopsis floral repressor gene FLC. Curr Biol 2023; 33:4381-4391.e3. [PMID: 37729909 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
Noncoding polymorphism frequently associates with phenotypic variation, but causation and mechanism are rarely established. Noncoding single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) characterize the major haplotypes of the Arabidopsis thaliana floral repressor gene FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). This noncoding polymorphism generates a range of FLC expression levels, determining the requirement for and the response to winter cold. The major adaptive determinant of these FLC haplotypes was shown to be the autumnal levels of FLC expression. Here, we investigate how noncoding SNPs influence FLC transcriptional output. We identify an upstream transcription start site (uTSS) cluster at FLC, whose usage is increased by an A variant at the promoter SNP-230. This variant is present in relatively few Arabidopsis accessions, with the majority containing G at this site. We demonstrate a causal role for the A variant at -230 in reduced FLC transcriptional output. The G variant upregulates FLC expression redundantly with the major transcriptional activator FRIGIDA (FRI). We demonstrate an additive interaction of SNP-230 with an intronic SNP+259, which also differentially influences uTSS usage. Combinatorial interactions between noncoding SNPs and transcriptional activators thus generate quantitative variation in FLC transcription that has facilitated the adaptation of Arabidopsis accessions to distinct climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Zhu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Michael Schon
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 PB, the Netherlands; Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Julia Questa
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Michael Nodine
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen University, Wageningen 6708 PB, the Netherlands; Gregor Mendel Institute, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna 1030, Austria
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
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8
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Zeng Y, Dawe RK, Gent JI. Natural methylation epialleles correlate with gene expression in maize. Genetics 2023; 225:iyad146. [PMID: 37556604 PMCID: PMC10550312 DOI: 10.1093/genetics/iyad146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation in plants is depleted from cis-regulatory elements in and near genes but is present in some gene bodies, including exons. Methylation in exons solely in the CG context is called gene body methylation (gbM). Methylation in exons in both CG and non-CG contexts is called TE-like methylation (teM). Assigning functions to both forms of methylation in genes has proven to be challenging. Toward that end, we utilized recent genome assemblies, gene annotations, transcription data, and methylome data to quantify common patterns of gene methylation and their relations to gene expression in maize. We found that gbM genes exist in a continuum of CG methylation levels without a clear demarcation between unmethylated genes and gbM genes. Analysis of expression levels across diverse maize stocks and tissues revealed a weak but highly significant positive correlation between gbM and gene expression except in endosperm. gbM epialleles were associated with an approximately 3% increase in steady-state expression level relative to unmethylated epialleles. In contrast to gbM genes, which were conserved and were broadly expressed across tissues, we found that teM genes, which make up about 12% of genes, are mainly silent, are poorly conserved, and exhibit evidence of annotation errors. We used these data to flag teM genes in the 26 NAM founder genome assemblies. While some teM genes are likely functional, these data suggest that the majority are not, and their inclusion can confound the interpretation of whole-genome studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibing Zeng
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - R Kelly Dawe
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Jonathan I Gent
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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9
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Berthelier J, Furci L, Asai S, Sadykova M, Shimazaki T, Shirasu K, Saze H. Long-read direct RNA sequencing reveals epigenetic regulation of chimeric gene-transposon transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3248. [PMID: 37277361 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38954-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are accumulated in both intergenic and intragenic regions in plant genomes. Intragenic TEs often act as regulatory elements of associated genes and are also co-transcribed with genes, generating chimeric TE-gene transcripts. Despite the potential impact on mRNA regulation and gene function, the prevalence and transcriptional regulation of TE-gene transcripts are poorly understood. By long-read direct RNA sequencing and a dedicated bioinformatics pipeline, ParasiTE, we investigated the transcription and RNA processing of TE-gene transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified a global production of TE-gene transcripts in thousands of A. thaliana gene loci, with TE sequences often being associated with alternative transcription start sites or transcription termination sites. The epigenetic state of intragenic TEs affects RNAPII elongation and usage of alternative poly(A) signals within TE sequences, regulating alternative TE-gene isoform production. Co-transcription and inclusion of TE-derived sequences into gene transcripts impact regulation of RNA stability and environmental responses of some loci. Our study provides insights into TE-gene interactions that contributes to mRNA regulation, transcriptome diversity, and environmental responses in plants.
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Grants
- JP20H02995 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP22H00364 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP20H05909 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP20H05913 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Berthelier
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Leonardo Furci
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Shuta Asai
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Munissa Sadykova
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Tomoe Shimazaki
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Ken Shirasu
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Saze
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
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10
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Marand AP, Eveland AL, Kaufmann K, Springer NM. cis-Regulatory Elements in Plant Development, Adaptation, and Evolution. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 74:111-137. [PMID: 36608347 PMCID: PMC9881396 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-070122-030236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
cis-Regulatory elements encode the genomic blueprints that ensure the proper spatiotemporal patterning of gene expression necessary for appropriate development and responses to the environment. Accumulating evidence implicates changes to gene expression as a major source of phenotypic novelty in eukaryotes, including acute phenotypes such as disease and cancer in mammals. Moreover, genetic and epigenetic variation affecting cis-regulatory sequences over longer evolutionary timescales has become a recurring theme in studies of morphological divergence and local adaptation. Here, we discuss the functions of and methods used to identify various classes of cis-regulatory elements, as well as their role in plant development and response to the environment. We highlight opportunities to exploit cis-regulatory variants underlying plant development and environmental responses for crop improvement efforts. Although a comprehensive understanding of cis-regulatory mechanisms in plants has lagged behind that in animals, we showcase several breakthrough findings that have profoundly influenced plant biology and shaped the overall understanding of transcriptional regulation in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kerstin Kaufmann
- Department for Plant Cell and Molecular Biology, Institute of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany;
| | - Nathan M Springer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA;
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11
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Hari Sundar G V, Swetha C, Basu D, Pachamuthu K, Raju S, Chakraborty T, Mosher RA, Shivaprasad PV. Plant polymerase IV sensitizes chromatin through histone modifications to preclude spread of silencing into protein-coding domains. Genome Res 2023; 33:715-728. [PMID: 37277199 PMCID: PMC10317121 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277353.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Across eukaryotes, gene regulation is manifested via chromatin states roughly distinguished as heterochromatin and euchromatin. The establishment, maintenance, and modulation of the chromatin states is mediated using several factors including chromatin modifiers. However, factors that avoid the intrusion of silencing signals into protein-coding genes are poorly understood. Here we show that a plant specific paralog of RNA polymerase (Pol) II, named Pol IV, is involved in avoidance of facultative heterochromatic marks in protein-coding genes, in addition to its well-established functions in silencing repeats and transposons. In its absence, H3K27 trimethylation (me3) mark intruded the protein-coding genes, more profoundly in genes embedded with repeats. In a subset of genes, spurious transcriptional activity resulted in small(s) RNA production, leading to post-transcriptional gene silencing. We show that such effects are significantly pronounced in rice, a plant with a larger genome with distributed heterochromatin compared with Arabidopsis Our results indicate the division of labor among plant-specific polymerases, not just in establishing effective silencing via sRNAs and DNA methylation but also in influencing chromatin boundaries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Hari Sundar G
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Chenna Swetha
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Debjani Basu
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Kannan Pachamuthu
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Steffi Raju
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Tania Chakraborty
- School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - Rebecca A Mosher
- School of Plant Sciences, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA
| | - P V Shivaprasad
- National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, GKVK Campus, Bangalore 560065, India;
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12
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Ortiz-Vasquez Q, León-Martínez G, Barragán-Rosillo C, González-Orozco E, Deans S, Aldridge B, Vickers M, Feng X, Vielle-Calzada JP. Genomic methylation patterns in pre-meiotic gynoecia of wild-type and RdDM mutants of Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1123211. [PMID: 36993852 PMCID: PMC10040562 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1123211] [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: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although DNA methylation patterns are generally considered to be faithfully inherited in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), there is evidence of reprogramming during both male and female gametogenesis. The gynoecium is the floral reproductive organ from which the ovules develop and generate meiotically derived cells that give rise to the female gametophyte. It is not known whether the gynoecium can condition genomic methylation in the ovule or the developing female gametophyte. METHODS We performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing to characterize the methylation patterns that prevail in the genomic DNA of pre-meiotic gynoecia of wild-type and three mutants defective in genes of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway (RdDM): ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4), ARGONAUTE9 (AGO9), and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE6 (RDR6). RESULTS By globally analyzing transposable elements (TEs) and genes located across the Arabidopsis genome, we show that DNA methylation levels are similar to those of gametophytic cells rather than those of sporophytic organs such as seedlings and rosette leaves. We show that none of the mutations completely abolishes RdDM, suggesting strong redundancy within the methylation pathways. Among all, ago4 mutation has the strongest effect on RdDM, causing more CHH hypomethylation than ago9 and rdr6. We identify 22 genes whose DNA methylation is significantly reduced in ago4, ago9 and rdr6 mutants, revealing potential targets regulated by the RdDM pathway in premeiotic gyneocia. DISCUSSION Our results indicate that drastic changes in methylation levels in all three contexts occur in female reproductive organs at the sporophytic level, prior to the alternation of generations within the ovule primordium, offering a possibility to start identifying the function of specific genes acting in the establishment of the female gametophytic phase of the Arabidopsis life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quetzely Ortiz-Vasquez
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Gloria León-Martínez
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Carlos Barragán-Rosillo
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Eduardo González-Orozco
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Samuel Deans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Billy Aldridge
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Vickers
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
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13
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Berger F, Muegge K, Richards EJ. Seminars in cell and development biology on histone variants remodelers of H2A variants associated with heterochromatin. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2023; 135:93-101. [PMID: 35249811 PMCID: PMC9440159 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Variants of the histone H2A occupy distinct locations in the genome. There is relatively little known about the mechanisms responsible for deposition of specific H2A variants. Notable exceptions are chromatin remodelers that control the dynamics of H2A.Z at promoters. Here we review the steps that identified the role of a specific class of chromatin remodelers, including LSH and DDM1 that deposit the variants macroH2A in mammals and H2A.W in plants, respectively. The function of these remodelers in heterochromatin is discussed together with their multiple roles in genome stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Kathrin Muegge
- Epigenetics Section, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research in the Mouse Cancer Genetics Program, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA.
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14
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Zhang J, Lin X, Chen Y, Li T, Lee AC, Chow EY, Cho WC, Chan T. LAFITE Reveals the Complexity of Transcript Isoforms in Subcellular Fractions. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2203480. [PMID: 36461702 PMCID: PMC9875686 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202203480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Characterization of the subcellular distribution of RNA is essential for understanding the molecular basis of biological processes. Here, the subcellular nanopore direct RNA-sequencing (DRS) of four lung cancer cell lines (A549, H1975, H358, and HCC4006) is performed, coupled with a computational pipeline, Low-abundance Aware Full-length Isoform clusTEr (LAFITE), to comprehensively analyze the full-length cytoplasmic and nuclear transcriptome. Using additional DRS and orthogonal data sets, it is shown that LAFITE outperforms current methods for detecting full-length transcripts, particularly for low-abundance isoforms that are usually overlooked due to poor read coverage. Experimental validation of six novel isoforms exclusively identified by LAFITE further confirms the reliability of this pipeline. By applying LAFITE to subcellular DRS data, the complexity of the nuclear transcriptome is revealed in terms of isoform diversity, 3'-UTR usage, m6A modification patterns, and intron retention. Overall, LAFITE provides enhanced full-length isoform identification and enables a high-resolution view of the RNA landscape at the isoform level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jizhou Zhang
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
- State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
| | - Xiao Lin
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
- State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
| | - Yuelong Chen
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
| | - Tsz‐Ho Li
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
- State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
| | - Alan Chun‐Kit Lee
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
| | | | | | - Ting‐Fung Chan
- School of Life SciencesThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
- State Key Laboratory of AgrobiotechnologyThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong Kong SARChina
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15
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Cao Q, Huang L, Li J, Qu P, Tao P, Crabbe MJC, Zhang T, Qiao Q. Integrated transcriptome and methylome analyses reveal the molecular regulation of drought stress in wild strawberry (Fragaria nilgerrensis). BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 22:613. [PMID: 36575384 PMCID: PMC9795625 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-022-04006-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fragaria nilgerrensis, which is a diploid wild strawberry with excellent drought-resistance, would provide useful candidate genes for improving drought resistance of cultivated strawberry. So far, its molecular regulatory networks involved in drought stress are unclear. We therefore investigated the drought response regulatory networks of F. nilgerrensis based on the integrated analysis of DNA methylation, transcriptome and physiological traits during four time points under drought stress. RESULTS: The most differentially expressed genes and the physiological changes were found at 8 days (T8) compared with 0 day (T0, control). Methylome analysis revealed slight dynamic changes in genome-wide mC levels under drought conditions, while the most hypomethylated and hypermethylated regions were identified at T4 and T8. Association analysis of the methylome and transcriptome revealed that unexpressed genes exhibited expected hypermethylation levels in mCHG and mCHH contexts, and highly expressed genes exhibited corresponding hypomethylation levels in the gene body, but mCG contexts showed the opposite trend. Then, 835 differentially methylated and expressed genes were identified and grouped into four clustering patterns to characterize their functions. The genes with either negative or positive correlation between methylation and gene expression were mainly associated with kinases, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) synthesis, scavenging, and the abscisic acid (ABA) signal pathway. Consistently, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed Hub genes including NCED, CYP707A2, PP2Cs and others that play important roles in the ABA signaling pathway. CONCLUSION F. nilgerrensis drought is dominated by ABA-dependent pathways, possibly accompanied by ABA-independent crosstalk. DNA methylation may affect gene expression, but their correlation was more subtle and multiple types of association exist. Maintaining the balance between ROS regeneration and scavenging is an important factor in drought resistance in F. nilgerrensis. These results deepen our understanding of drought resistance and its application in breeding in strawberry plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Cao
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Lin Huang
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Jiamin Li
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Peng Qu
- School of Agriculture, Yunnan University, 650091, Kunming, China
| | - Pang Tao
- Horticultural Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 650205, Kunming, China
| | - M James C Crabbe
- Wolfson College, Oxford University, Oxford, OX26UD, UK
- Institute of Biomedical and Environmental Science and Technology, School of Life Sciences, University of Bedfordshire, Park Square, LU1 3JU, Luton, UK
- School of Life Science, Shanxi University, 030006, Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
| | - Ticao Zhang
- College of Chinese Material Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, 650500, Kunming, China.
| | - Qin Qiao
- College of Horticulture and Landscape, Yunnan Agricultural University, 650201, Kunming, China.
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16
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Srikant T, Yuan W, Berendzen KW, Contreras-Garrido A, Drost HG, Schwab R, Weigel D. Canalization of genome-wide transcriptional activity in Arabidopsis thaliana accessions by MET1-dependent CG methylation. Genome Biol 2022; 23:263. [PMID: 36539836 PMCID: PMC9768921 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02833-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite its conserved role on gene expression and transposable element (TE) silencing, genome-wide CG methylation differs substantially between wild Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. RESULTS To test our hypothesis that global reduction of CG methylation would reduce epigenomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic diversity in A. thaliana accessions, we knock out MET1, which is required for CG methylation, in 18 early-flowering accessions. Homozygous met1 mutants in all accessions suffer from common developmental defects such as dwarfism and delayed flowering, in addition to accession-specific abnormalities in rosette leaf architecture, silique morphology, and fertility. Integrated analysis of genome-wide methylation, chromatin accessibility, and transcriptomes confirms that MET1 inactivation greatly reduces CG methylation and alters chromatin accessibility at thousands of loci. While the effects on TE activation are similarly drastic in all accessions, the quantitative effects on non-TE genes vary greatly. The global expression profiles of accessions become considerably more divergent from each other after genome-wide removal of CG methylation, although a few genes with diverse expression profiles across wild-type accessions tend to become more similar in mutants. Most differentially expressed genes do not exhibit altered chromatin accessibility or CG methylation in cis, suggesting that absence of MET1 can have profound indirect effects on gene expression and that these effects vary substantially between accessions. CONCLUSIONS Systematic analysis of MET1 requirement in different A. thaliana accessions reveals a dual role for CG methylation: for many genes, CG methylation appears to canalize expression levels, with methylation masking regulatory divergence. However, for a smaller subset of genes, CG methylation increases expression diversity beyond genetically encoded differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanvi Srikant
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Present address: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Wei Yuan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kenneth Wayne Berendzen
- Plant Transformation and Flow Cytometry Facility, ZMBP, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Hajk-Georg Drost
- Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Schwab
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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17
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Singh KS, van der Hooft JJJ, van Wees SCM, Medema MH. Integrative omics approaches for biosynthetic pathway discovery in plants. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1876-1896. [PMID: 35997060 PMCID: PMC9491492 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00032f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2022With the emergence of large amounts of omics data, computational approaches for the identification of plant natural product biosynthetic pathways and their genetic regulation have become increasingly important. While genomes provide clues regarding functional associations between genes based on gene clustering, metabolome mining provides a foundational technology to chart natural product structural diversity in plants, and transcriptomics has been successfully used to identify new members of their biosynthetic pathways based on coexpression. Thus far, most approaches utilizing transcriptomics and metabolomics have been targeted towards specific pathways and use one type of omics data at a time. Recent technological advances now provide new opportunities for integration of multiple omics types and untargeted pathway discovery. Here, we review advances in plant biosynthetic pathway discovery using genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, as well as recent efforts towards omics integration. We highlight how transcriptomics and metabolomics provide complementary information to link genes to metabolites, by associating temporal and spatial gene expression levels with metabolite abundance levels across samples, and by matching mass-spectral features to enzyme families. Furthermore, we suggest that elucidation of gene regulatory networks using time-series data may prove useful for efforts to unwire the complexities of biosynthetic pathway components based on regulatory interactions and events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Saurabh Singh
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
| | - Justin J J van der Hooft
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa
| | - Saskia C M van Wees
- Plant-Microbe Interactions, Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
| | - Marnix H Medema
- Bioinformatics Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
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18
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Lamka GF, Harder AM, Sundaram M, Schwartz TS, Christie MR, DeWoody JA, Willoughby JR. Epigenetics in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.871791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic variation is often characterized by modifications to DNA that do not alter the underlying nucleotide sequence, but can influence behavior, morphology, and physiological phenotypes by affecting gene expression and protein synthesis. In this review, we consider how the emerging field of ecological epigenetics (eco-epi) aims to use epigenetic variation to explain ecologically relevant phenotypic variation and predict evolutionary trajectories that are important in conservation. Here, we focus on how epigenetic data have contributed to our understanding of wild populations, including plants, animals, and fungi. First, we identified published eco-epi literature and found that there was limited taxonomic and ecosystem coverage and that, by necessity of available technology, these studies have most often focused on the summarized epigenome rather than locus- or nucleotide-level epigenome characteristics. We also found that while many studies focused on adaptation and heritability of the epigenome, the field has thematically expanded into topics such as disease ecology and epigenome-based ageing of individuals. In the second part of our synthesis, we discuss key insights that have emerged from the epigenetic field broadly and use these to preview the path toward integration of epigenetics into ecology. Specifically, we suggest moving focus to nucleotide-level differences in the epigenome rather than whole-epigenome data and that we incorporate several facets of epigenome characterization (e.g., methylation, chromatin structure). Finally, we also suggest that incorporation of behavior and stress data will be critical to the process of fully integrating eco-epi data into ecology, conservation, and evolutionary biology.
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19
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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: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.5] [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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Ma X, Feng Y, Yang Y, Li X, Shi Y, Tao S, Cheng X, Huang J, Wang XE, Chen C, Monchaud D, Zhang W. Genome-wide characterization of i-motifs and their potential roles in the stability and evolution of transposable elements in rice. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:3226-3238. [PMID: 35188565 PMCID: PMC8989525 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
I-motifs (iMs) are non-canonical DNA secondary structures that fold from cytosine (C)-rich genomic DNA regions termed putative i-motif forming sequences (PiMFSs). The structure of iMs is stabilized by hemiprotonated C-C base pairs, and their functions are now suspected in key cellular processes in human cells such as genome stability and regulation of gene transcription. In plants, their biological relevance is still largely unknown. Here, we characterized PiMFSs with high potential for i-motif formation in the rice genome by developing and applying a protocol hinging on an iMab antibody-based immunoprecipitation (IP) coupled with high-throughput sequencing (seq), consequently termed iM-IP-seq. We found that PiMFSs had intrinsic subgenomic distributions, cis-regulatory functions and an intricate relationship with DNA methylation. We indeed found that the coordination of PiMFSs with DNA methylation may affect dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) among different cultivated Oryza subpopulations or during evolution of wild rice species. Collectively, our study provides first and unique insights into the biology of iMs in plants, with potential applications in plant biotechnology for improving important agronomic rice traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Ma
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Yilong Feng
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Ying Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Xin Li
- Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, Hunan410125, P.R. China
| | - Yining Shi
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Shentong Tao
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Xuejiao Cheng
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Jian Huang
- School of Biology & Basic Medical Science, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, P.R. China
| | - Xiu-e Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
| | - Caiyan Chen
- Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changsha, Hunan410125, P.R. China
| | - David Monchaud
- Institut de Chimie Moleculaire, ICMUB CNRS UMR 6302, UBFC Dijon, France
| | - Wenli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Collaborative Innovation Center for Modern Crop Production co-sponsored by Province and Ministry (CIC-MCP), Nanjing Agricultural University, No.1 Weigang, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, P.R. China
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21
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Jamge B, Berger F. Diversification of chromatin organization in eukaryotes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2022; 74:1-6. [PMID: 34998094 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Our knowledge of the chromatin landscape and its regulation was originally discovered using yeast and a limited number of animals models. A wealth of studies in model plants now strongly demonstrates the conservation of certain features while illuminating the diversification of others. Here we summarize recent advances that describe specific features of chromatin organization of transcriptional units and specific regulation of heterochromatin in flowering plants. We highlight the importance of transcriptional regulation in plant chromatin organization and the need to investigate a more diverse range of species to understand the chromatin landscape in eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhagyshree Jamge
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, A-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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22
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Ezhova TA. Paradoxes of Plant Epigenetics. Russ J Dev Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360421060047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Plants have a unique ability to adapt ontogenesis to changing environmental conditions and the influence of stress factors. This ability is based on the existence of two specific features of epigenetic regulation in plants, which seem to be mutually exclusive at first glance. On the one hand, plants are capable of partial epigenetic reprogramming of the genome, which can lead to adaptation of physiology and metabolism to changed environmental conditions as well as to changes in ontogenesis programs. On the other hand, plants can show amazing stability of epigenetic modifications and the ability to transmit them to vegetative and sexual generations. The combination of these inextricably linked epigenetic features not only ensures survival in the conditions of a sessile lifestyle but also underlies a surprisingly wide morphological diversity of plants, which can lead to the appearance of morphs within one population and the existence of interpopulation morphological differences. The review discusses the molecular genetic mechanisms that cause a paradoxical combination of the stability and lability properties of epigenetic modifications and underlie the polyvariance of ontogenesis. We also consider the existing approaches for studying the role of epigenetic regulation in the manifestation of polyvariance of ontogenesis and discuss their limitations and prospects.
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23
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Xiong J, Ma F, Ding N, Xu L, Ma S, Yang A, Hao Y, Zhang H, Jiang Y. miR-195-3p alleviates homocysteine-mediated atherosclerosis by targeting IL-31 through its epigenetics modifications. Aging Cell 2021; 20:e13485. [PMID: 34592792 PMCID: PMC8520716 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is a serious age-related disease, which has a tremendous impact on health care globally. Macrophage inflammation is crucial for the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, and microRNAs (miRNAs) recently have emerged as potent modulators of inflammation, while the underlying mechanisms of its involvement in homocysteine (Hcy)-mediated macrophage inflammation of atherosclerosis remain largely unknown. Here, we demonstrated that elevated Hcy inhibits the expression of miR-195-3p, which in turn enhances IL-31 expression and thereby causes the secretion of macrophages pro-inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α and accelerate atherosclerosis. Furthermore, we identified that Hcy can induce DNA hypermethylation and H3K9 deacetylation of miR-195-3p promoter due to the increased the binding of DNMT3a and HDAC11 at its promoter. More importantly, Sp1 interacts with DNMT3a suppressed the binding of HDAC11 at miR-195-3p promoter and promoted its transcription. In summary, our results revealed a novel mechanism that transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of miR-195-3p inhibits macrophage inflammation through targeting IL-31, which provides a candidate diagnostic marker and novel therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases induced by Hcy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiantuan Xiong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Fang Ma
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Ning Ding
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Lingbo Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Shengchao Ma
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Anning Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Yinju Hao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Huiping Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Prenatal Diagnosis Center, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
| | - Yideng Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Metabolic Cardiovascular Diseases Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Vascular Injury and Repair Research Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan China
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24
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Kudo H, Matsuo M, Satoh S, Hata T, Hachisu R, Nakamura M, Yamamoto YY, Kimura H, Matsui M, Obokata J. Cryptic promoter activation occurs by at least two different mechanisms in the Arabidopsis genome. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 108:29-39. [PMID: 34252235 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
In gene-trap screening of plant genomes, promoterless reporter constructs are often expressed without trapping of annotated gene promoters. The molecular basis of this phenomenon, which has been interpreted as the trapping of cryptic promoters, is poorly understood. Here, we found that cryptic promoter activation occurs by at least two different mechanisms using Arabidopsis gene-trap lines in which a firefly luciferase (LUC) open reading frame (ORF) without an apparent promoter sequence was expressed from intergenic regions: one mechanism is 'cryptic promoter capturing', in which the LUC ORF captured pre-existing promoter-like chromatin marked by H3K4me3 and H2A.Z, and the other is 'promoter de novo origination', in which the promoter chromatin was newly formed near the 5' end of the inserted LUC ORF. The latter finding raises a question as to how the inserted LUC ORF sequence is involved in this phenomenon. To examine this, we performed a model experiment with chimeric LUC genes in transgenic plants. Using Arabidopsis psaH1 promoter-LUC constructs, we found that the functional core promoter region, where transcription start sites (TSSs) occur, cannot simply be determined by the upstream nor core promoter sequences; rather, its positioning proximal to the inserted LUC ORF sequence was more critical. This result suggests that the insertion of the coding sequence alters the local distribution of TSSs in the plant genome. The possible impact of the two types of cryptic promoter activation mechanisms on plant genome evolution and endosymbiotic gene transfer is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisayuki Kudo
- Center for G Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Matsuo
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8522, Japan
| | - Soichirou Satoh
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8522, Japan
| | - Takayuki Hata
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8522, Japan
| | - Rei Hachisu
- Center for G Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan
| | - Masayuki Nakamura
- Center for G Research, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8602, Japan
| | - Yoshiharu Y Yamamoto
- Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagito, Gihu-shi, Gifu, 501-1193, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Kimura
- Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, 226-8501, Japan
| | - Minami Matsui
- RIKEN Plant Science Center, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Junichi Obokata
- Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Kyoto Prefectural University, 1-5 Hangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8522, Japan
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25
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Martin GT, Seymour DK, Gaut BS. CHH Methylation Islands: A Nonconserved Feature of Grass Genomes That Is Positively Associated with Transposable Elements but Negatively Associated with Gene-Body Methylation. Genome Biol Evol 2021; 13:evab144. [PMID: 34146109 PMCID: PMC8374106 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evab144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylated CHH (mCHH) islands are peaks of CHH methylation that occur primarily upstream to genes. These regions are actively targeted by the methylation machinery, occur at boundaries between heterochromatin and euchromatin, and tend to be near highly expressed genes. Here we took an evolutionary perspective by studying upstream mCHH islands across a sample of eight grass species. Using a statistical approach to define mCHH islands as regions that differ from genome-wide background CHH methylation levels, we demonstrated that mCHH islands are common and associate with 39% of genes, on average. We hypothesized that islands should be more frequent in genomes of large size, because they have more heterochromatin and hence more need for defined boundaries. We found, however, that smaller genomes tended to have a higher proportion of genes associated with 5' mCHH islands. Consistent with previous work suggesting that islands reflect the silencing of the edge of transposable elements (TEs), genes with nearby TEs were more likely to have mCHH islands. However, the presence of mCHH islands was not a function solely of TEs, both because the underlying sequences of islands were often not homologous to TEs and because genic properties also predicted the presence of 5' mCHH islands. These genic properties included length and gene-body methylation (gbM); in fact, in three of eight species, the absence of gbM was a stronger predictor of a 5' mCHH island than TE proximity. In contrast, gene expression level was a positive but weak predictor of the presence of an island. Finally, we assessed whether mCHH islands were evolutionarily conserved by focusing on a set of 2,720 orthologs across the eight species. They were generally not conserved across evolutionary time. Overall, our data establish additional genic properties that are associated with mCHH islands and suggest that they are not just a consequence of the TE silencing machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galen T Martin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Danelle K Seymour
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Brandon S Gaut
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California, USA
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26
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Papareddy RK, Páldi K, Smolka AD, Hüther P, Becker C, Nodine MD. Repression of CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 prevents epigenetic collateral damage in Arabidopsis. eLife 2021; 10:e69396. [PMID: 34296996 PMCID: PMC8352596 DOI: 10.7554/elife.69396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation has evolved to silence mutagenic transposable elements (TEs) while typically avoiding the targeting of endogenous genes. Mechanisms that prevent DNA methyltransferases from ectopically methylating genes are expected to be of prime importance during periods of dynamic cell cycle activities including plant embryogenesis. However, virtually nothing is known regarding how DNA methyltransferase activities are precisely regulated during embryogenesis to prevent the induction of potentially deleterious and mitotically stable genic epimutations. Here, we report that microRNA-mediated repression of CHROMOMETHYLASE 3 (CMT3) and the chromatin features that CMT3 prefers help prevent ectopic methylation of thousands of genes during embryogenesis that can persist for weeks afterwards. Our results are also consistent with CMT3-induced ectopic methylation of promoters or bodies of genes undergoing transcriptional activation reducing their expression. Therefore, the repression of CMT3 prevents epigenetic collateral damage on endogenous genes. We also provide a model that may help reconcile conflicting viewpoints regarding the functions of gene-body methylation that occurs in nearly all flowering plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranjith K Papareddy
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Katalin Páldi
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Anna D Smolka
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
| | - Patrick Hüther
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Genetics, LMU Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians UniversityMartinsriedGermany
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Genetics, LMU Biocenter, Ludwig-Maximilians UniversityMartinsriedGermany
| | - Michael D Nodine
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3ViennaAustria
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Wageningen UniversityWageningenNetherlands
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27
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Baduel P, Quadrana L. Jumpstarting evolution: How transposition can facilitate adaptation to rapid environmental changes. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 61:102043. [PMID: 33932785 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Because of their ability to replicate across genomes, transposable elements (TEs) represent major generators of large-effect mutations. As a result, chromatin-based mechanisms have evolved to control the mutational potential of TEs at multiple levels, from the epigenetic silencing of TE sequences, through the modulation of their integration space, up to the alleviation of the impact of new insertions. Although most TE insertions are highly deleterious, some can provide key adaptive variation. Together with their remarkable sensitivity to the environment and precise integration preferences, the unique characteristics of TEs place them as potent genomic engines of adaptive innovation. Herein, we review recent works exploring the regulation and impact of transposition in nature and discuss their implications for the evolutionary response of species to drastic environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, ENS, 46 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Leandro Quadrana
- Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure, ENS, 46 rue d'Ulm, 75005, Paris, France.
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28
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Zhao Y, Zhu P, Hepworth J, Bloomer R, Antoniou-Kourounioti RL, Doughty J, Heckmann A, Xu C, Yang H, Dean C. Natural temperature fluctuations promote COOLAIR regulation of FLC. Genes Dev 2021; 35:888-898. [PMID: 33985972 PMCID: PMC8168555 DOI: 10.1101/gad.348362.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In this study, Zhao et al. set out to characterize how plants respond to cold through regulation of FLC expression. Using genetics and genomics approaches, the authors reveal how natural temperature fluctuations promote COOLAIR regulation of FLC, with the first autumn frost acting as a key indicator of autumn/winter arrival. Plants monitor many aspects of their fluctuating environments to help align their development with seasons. Molecular understanding of how noisy temperature cues are registered has emerged from dissection of vernalization in Arabidopsis, which involves a multiphase cold-dependent silencing of the floral repressor locus FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). Cold-induced transcriptional silencing precedes a low probability PRC2 epigenetic switching mechanism. The epigenetic switch requires the absence of warm temperatures as well as long-term cold exposure. However, the natural temperature inputs into the earlier transcriptional silencing phase are less well understood. Here, through investigation of Arabidopsis accessions in natural and climatically distinct field sites, we show that the first seasonal frost strongly induces expression of COOLAIR, the antisense transcripts at FLC. Chamber experiments delivering a constant mean temperature with different fluctuations showed the freezing induction of COOLAIR correlates with stronger repression of FLC mRNA. Identification of a mutant that ectopically activates COOLAIR revealed how COOLAIR up-regulation can directly reduce FLC expression. Consistent with this, transgenes designed to knockout COOLAIR perturbed the early phase of FLC silencing. However, all transgenes designed to remove COOLAIR resulted in increased production of novel convergent FLC antisense transcripts. Our study reveals how natural temperature fluctuations promote COOLAIR regulation of FLC, with the first autumn frost acting as a key indicator of autumn/winter arrival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusheng Zhao
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Pan Zhu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Jo Hepworth
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca Bloomer
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jade Doughty
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Amelie Heckmann
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Congyao Xu
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Hongchun Yang
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
| | - Caroline Dean
- John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, United Kingdom
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29
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Piya S, Lopes-Caitar VS, Kim W, Pantalone V, Krishnan HB, Hewezi T. Title: Hypermethylation of miRNA Genes During Nodule Development. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:616623. [PMID: 33928115 PMCID: PMC8076613 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.616623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation has recently emerged as a powerful regulatory mechanism controlling the expression of key regulators of various developmental processes, including nodulation. However, the functional role of DNA methylation in regulating the expression of microRNA (miRNA) genes during the formation and development of nitrogen-fixing nodules remains largely unknown. In this study, we profiled DNA methylation patterns of miRNA genes during nodule formation, development, and early senescence stages in soybean (Glycine max) through the analysis of methylC-seq data. Absolute DNA methylation levels in the CG, CHH, and CHH sequence contexts over the promoter and primary transcript regions of miRNA genes were significantly higher in the nodules compared with the corresponding root tissues at these three distinct nodule developmental stages. We identified a total of 82 differentially methylated miRNAs in the nodules compared with roots. Differential DNA methylation of these 82 miRNAs was detected only in the promoter (69), primary transcript region (3), and both in the promoter and primary transcript regions (10). The large majority of these differentially methylated miRNAs were hypermethylated in nodules compared with the corresponding root tissues and were found mainly in the CHH context and showed stage-specific methylation patterns. Differentially methylated regions in the promoters of 25 miRNAs overlapped with transposable elements, a finding that may explain the vulnerability of miRNAs to DNA methylation changes during nodule development. Gene expression analysis of a set of promoter-differentially methylated miRNAs pointed to a negative association between DNA methylation and miRNA expression. Gene Ontology and pathways analyses indicate that changes in DNA methylation of miRNA genes are reprogrammed and contribute to nodule development through indirect regulation of genes involved in cellular processes and pathways with well-established roles in nodulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarbottam Piya
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | | | - Won‐Seok Kim
- Plant Science Division, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Vince Pantalone
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Hari B. Krishnan
- Plant Science Division, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States
- Plant Genetics Research, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Columbia, MO, United States
| | - Tarek Hewezi
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
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Cambiagno DA, Torres JR, Alvarez ME. Convergent Epigenetic Mechanisms Avoid Constitutive Expression of Immune Receptor Gene Subsets. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:703667. [PMID: 34557212 PMCID: PMC8452986 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.703667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The gene pool encoding PRR and NLR immune receptors determines the ability of a plant to resist microbial infections. Basal expression of these genes is prevented by diverse mechanisms since their hyperactivity can be harmful. To approach the study of epigenetic control of PRR/NLR genes we here analyzed their expression in mutants carrying abnormal repressive 5-methyl cytosine (5-mC) and histone 3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2) marks, due to lack of MET1, CMT3, MOM1, SUVH4/5/6, or DDM1. At optimal growth conditions, none of the mutants showed basal expression of the defense gene marker PR1, but all of them had greater resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato than wild type plants, suggesting they are primed to stimulate immune cascades. Consistently, analysis of available transcriptomes indicated that all mutants showed activation of particular PRR/NLR genes under some growth conditions. Under low defense activation, 37 PRR/NLR genes were expressed in these plants, but 29 of them were exclusively activated in specific mutants, indicating that MET1, CMT3, MOM1, SUVH4/5/6, and DDM1 mediate basal repression of different subsets of genes. Some epigenetic marks present at promoters, but not gene bodies, could explain the activation of these genes in the mutants. As expected, suvh4/5/6 and ddm1 activated genes carrying 5-mC and H3K9me2 marks in wild type plants. Surprisingly, all mutants expressed genes harboring promoter H2A.Z/H3K27me3 marks likely affected by the chromatin remodeler PIE1 and the histone demethylase REF6, respectively. Therefore, MET1, CMT3, MOM1, SUVH4/5/6, and DDM1, together with REF6, seemingly contribute to the establishment of chromatin states that prevent constitutive PRR/NLR gene activation, but facilitate their priming by modulating epigenetic marks at their promoters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damián Alejandro Cambiagno
- Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA), INTA-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Damián Alejandro Cambiagno,
| | - José Roberto Torres
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María Elena Alvarez
- Departamento de Química Biológica Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- María Elena Alvarez,
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