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Ocampo D, Damon LJ, Sanford L, Holtzen SE, Jones T, Allen MA, Dowell RD, Palmer AE. Cellular zinc status alters chromatin accessibility and binding of p53 to DNA. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202402638. [PMID: 38969365 PMCID: PMC11231577 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202402638] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Zn2+ is an essential metal required by approximately 850 human transcription factors. How these proteins acquire their essential Zn2+ cofactor and whether they are sensitive to changes in the labile Zn2+ pool in cells remain open questions. Using ATAC-seq to profile regions of accessible chromatin coupled with transcription factor enrichment analysis, we examined how increases and decreases in the labile zinc pool affect chromatin accessibility and transcription factor enrichment. We found 685 transcription factor motifs were differentially enriched, corresponding to 507 unique transcription factors. The pattern of perturbation and the types of transcription factors were notably different at promoters versus intergenic regions, with zinc-finger transcription factors strongly enriched in intergenic regions in elevated Zn2+ To test whether ATAC-seq and transcription factor enrichment analysis predictions correlate with changes in transcription factor binding, we used ChIP-qPCR to profile six p53 binding sites. We found that for five of the six targets, p53 binding correlates with the local accessibility determined by ATAC-seq. These results demonstrate that changes in labile zinc alter chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding to DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Ocampo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Leah J Damon
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Lynn Sanford
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Samuel E Holtzen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Taylor Jones
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Mary A Allen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Robin D Dowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Amy E Palmer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA
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Chen J, Yang X, Li Q, Ma J, Li H, Wang L, Chen Z, Quan Z. Inhibiting DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B confers protection against ferroptosis in nucleus pulposus and ameliorates intervertebral disc degeneration via upregulating SLC40A1. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 220:139-153. [PMID: 38705495 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic changes are important considerations for degenerative diseases. DNA methylation regulates crucial genes by epigenetic mechanism, impacting cell function and fate. DNA presents hypermethylation in degenerated nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue, but its role in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) remains elusive. This study aimed to demonstrate that methyltransferase mediated hypermethylation was responsible for IVDD by integrative bioinformatics and experimental verification. Methyltransferase DNMT3B was highly expressed in severely degenerated NP tissue (involving human and rats) and in-vitro degenerated human NP cells (NPCs). Bioinformatics elucidated that hypermethylated genes were enriched in oxidative stress and ferroptosis, and the ferroptosis suppressor gene SLC40A1 was identified with lower expression and higher methylation in severely degenerated human NP tissue. Cell culture using human NPCs showed that DNMT3B induced ferroptosis and oxidative stress in NPCs by downregulating SLC40A1, promoting a degenerative cell phenotype. An in-vivo rat IVDD model showed that DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-AZA alleviated puncture-induced IVDD. Taken together, DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B aggravates ferroptosis and oxidative stress in NPCs via regulating SLC40A1. Epigenetic mechanism within DNA methylation is a promising therapeutic biomarker for IVDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxing Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Xinyu Yang
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Qiaochu Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Jingjin Ma
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Huanhuan Li
- Department of Emergency, Chongqing University Three Gorges Hospital, Chongqing, 404000, China
| | - Linbang Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Zhiyu Chen
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Zhengxue Quan
- Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China; Orthopedic Laboratory of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, China.
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3
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Sun Y, Wang X, Di Y, Li J, Li K, Wei H, Zhang F, Su Z. Systematic Analysis of DNA Demethylase Gene Families in Foxtail Millet ( Setaria italica L.) and Their Expression Variations after Abiotic Stresses. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4464. [PMID: 38674049 PMCID: PMC11050331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084464] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a highly conserved epigenetic modification involved in many biological processes, including growth and development, stress response, and secondary metabolism. DNA demethylase (DNA-deMTase) genes have been identified in some plant species; however, there are no reports on the identification and analysis of DNA-deMTase genes in Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.). In this study, seven DNA-deMTases were identified in S. italica. These DNA-deMTase genes were divided into four subfamilies (DML5, DML4, DML3, and ROS1) by phylogenetic and gene structure analysis. Further analysis shows that the physical and chemical properties of these DNA-deMTases proteins are similar, contain the typical conserved domains of ENCO3c and are located in the nucleus. Furthermore, multiple cis-acting elements were observed in DNA-deMTases, including light responsiveness, phytohormone responsiveness, stress responsiveness, and elements related to plant growth and development. The DNA-deMTase genes are expressed in all tissues detected with certain tissue specificity. Then, we investigated the abundance of DNA-deMTase transcripts under abiotic stresses (cold, drought, salt, ABA, and MeJA). The results showed that different genes of DNA-deMTases were involved in the regulation of different abiotic stresses. In total, our findings will provide a basis for the roles of DNA-deMTase in response to abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Sun
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Xin Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Yunfei Di
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Jinxiu Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Keyu Li
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Huanhuan Wei
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Fan Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
| | - Zhenxia Su
- College of Life Sciences, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China; (Y.S.); (X.W.); (Y.D.); (J.L.); (K.L.); (H.W.); (F.Z.)
- Xinghuacun College (Shanxi Institute of Brewing Technology and Industry), Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China
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Doddavarapu B, Lata C, Shah JM. Epigenetic regulation influenced by soil microbiota and nutrients: Paving road to epigenome editing in plants. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130580. [PMID: 38325761 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2024.130580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Soil is a complex ecosystem that houses microbes and nutrients that are necessary for plant development. Edaphic properties of the soil and environmental conditions influence microbial growth and nutrient accessibility. Various environmental stimuli largely affect the soil microbes and ionic balance, in turn influencing plants. Soil microflora helps decompose organic matter and is involved in mineral uptake. The combination of soil microbes and mineral nutrients notably affects plant growth. Recent advancements have enabled a deeper understanding of plant genetic/molecular regulators. Deficiencies/sufficiencies of soil minerals and microbes also alter plant gene regulation. Gene regulation mediated by epigenetic mechanisms comprises conformational alterations in chromatin structure, DNA/histone modifications, or involvement of small RNAs. Epigenetic regulation is unique due to its potential to inherit without involving alteration of the DNA sequence. Thus, the compilation study of heritable epigenetic changes driven by nutrient imbalances and soil microbes would facilitate understanding this molecular phenomenon in plants. This information can aid in epigenome editing, which has recently emerged as a promising technology for plant non-transgenic/non-mutagenic modification. Potential epigenetic marks induced by biotic and abiotic stresses in plants could be explored as target sites for epigenome editing. This review discusses novel ways of epigenome editing to create epigenome edited plants with desirable and heritable phenotypes. As plants are sessile and in constant exposure to the soil microbiome and nutrients, epigenetic changes induced by these factors could provide more effective, stable and a sustainable molecular solution for crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhavya Doddavarapu
- Department of Plant Science, Central University of Kerala, Kerala, India
| | - Charu Lata
- Inclusive Health & Traditional Knowledge Studies Division, CSIR- National Institute of Science Communication and Policy Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Jasmine M Shah
- Department of Plant Science, Central University of Kerala, Kerala, India.
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Damon LJ, Ocampo D, Sanford L, Jones T, Allen MA, Dowell RD, Palmer AE. Cellular zinc status alters chromatin accessibility and binding of transcription factor p53 to genomic sites. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.20.567954. [PMID: 38045276 PMCID: PMC10690171 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.20.567954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Zinc (Zn2+) is an essential metal required by approximately 2500 proteins. Nearly half of these proteins act on DNA, including > 850 human transcription factors, polymerases, DNA damage response factors, and proteins involved in chromatin architecture. How these proteins acquire their essential Zn2+ cofactor and whether they are sensitive to changes in the labile Zn2+ pool in cells remain open questions. Here, we examine how changes in the labile Zn2+ pool affect chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding to DNA. We observed both increases and decreases in accessibility in different chromatin regions via ATAC-seq upon treating MCF10A cells with elevated Zn2+ or the Zn2+-specific chelator tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPA). Transcription factor enrichment analysis was used to correlate changes in chromatin accessibility with transcription factor motifs, revealing 477 transcription factor motifs that were differentially enriched upon Zn2+ perturbation. 186 of these transcription factor motifs were enriched in Zn2+ and depleted in TPA, and the majority correspond to Zn2+ finger transcription factors. We selected TP53 as a candidate to examine how changes in motif enrichment correlate with changes in transcription factor occupancy by ChIP-qPCR. Using publicly available ChIP-seq and nascent transcription datasets, we narrowed the 50,000+ ATAC-seq peaks to 2164 TP53 targets and subsequently selected 6 high-probability TP53 binding sites for testing. ChIP-qPCR revealed that for 5 of the 6 targets, TP53 binding correlates with the local accessibility determined by ATAC-seq. These results demonstrate that changes in labile zinc directly alter chromatin accessibility and transcription factor binding to DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah J. Damon
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Daniel Ocampo
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Lynn Sanford
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309
| | - Taylor Jones
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309
| | - Mary A. Allen
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Robin D. Dowell
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, 80309
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
| | - Amy E. Palmer
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
- BioFrontiers Institute, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80303
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Zhu H, Han G, Wang J, Xu J, Hong Y, Huang L, Zheng S, Yang J, Chen W. CG hypermethylation of the bHLH39 promoter regulates its expression and Fe deficiency responses in tomato roots. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad104. [PMID: 37577397 PMCID: PMC10419876 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient for all organisms, including plants, whose limited bioavailability restricts plant growth, yield, and nutritional quality. While the transcriptional regulation of plant responses to Fe deficiency have been extensively studied, the contribution of epigenetic modulations, such as DNA methylation, remains poorly understood. Here, we report that treatment with a DNA methylase inhibitor repressed Fe deficiency-induced responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) roots, suggesting the importance of DNA methylation in regulating Fe deficiency responses. Dynamic changes in the DNA methylome in tomato roots responding to short-term (12 hours) and long-term (72 hours) Fe deficiency identified many differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and DMR-associated genes. Most DMRs occurred at CHH sites under short-term Fe deficiency, whereas they were predominant at CG sites following long-term Fe deficiency. Furthermore, no correlation was detected between the changes in DNA methylation levels and the changes in transcript levels of the affected genes under either short-term or long-term treatments. Notably, one exception was CG hypermethylation at the bHLH39 promoter, which was positively correlated with its transcriptional induction. In agreement, we detected lower CG methylation at the bHLH39 promoter and lower bHLH39 expression in MET1-RNA interference lines compared with wild-type seedlings. Virus-induced gene silencing of bHLH39 and luciferase reporter assays revealed that bHLH39 is positively involved in the modulation of Fe homeostasis. Altogether, we propose that dynamic epigenetic DNA methylation in the CG context at the bHLH39 promoter is involved in its transcriptional regulation, thus contributing to the Fe deficiency response of tomato.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guanghao Han
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Jiayi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jiming Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yiguo Hong
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Li Huang
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Shaojian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Jianli Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Weiwei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
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7
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Liu Y, Wang J, Liu B, Xu ZY. Dynamic regulation of DNA methylation and histone modifications in response to abiotic stresses in plants. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:2252-2274. [PMID: 36149776 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation and histone modification are evolutionarily conserved epigenetic modifications that are crucial for the expression regulation of abiotic stress-responsive genes in plants. Dynamic changes in gene expression levels can result from changes in DNA methylation and histone modifications. In the last two decades, how epigenetic machinery regulates abiotic stress responses in plants has been extensively studied. Here, based on recent publications, we review how DNA methylation and histone modifications impact gene expression regulation in response to abiotic stresses such as drought, abscisic acid, high salt, extreme temperature, nutrient deficiency or toxicity, and ultraviolet B exposure. We also review the roles of epigenetic mechanisms in the formation of transgenerational stress memory. We posit that a better understanding of the epigenetic underpinnings of abiotic stress responses in plants may facilitate the design of more stress-resistant or -resilient crops, which is essential for coping with global warming and extreme environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Bao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
| | - Zheng-Yi Xu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, 130024, China
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8
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Sun L, Xue C, Guo C, Jia C, Yuan H, Pan X, Tai P. Maintenance of grafting reducing cadmium accumulation in soybean (Glycinemax) is mediated by DNA methylation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 847:157488. [PMID: 35870595 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.157488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cadmium (Cd) pollution in farmland soil increases the probability of wastage of land resources and compromised food safety. Grafting can change the absorption rates of elements in crops; however, there are few studies on grafting in bulk grain and cash crops. In this study, Glycine max was used as a scion and Luffa aegyptiaca as a rootstock for grafting experiments. The changes in total sulfur and Cd content in the leaves and grains of grafted species were determined for three consecutive generations, and the gene expression and DNA methylation status of the leaves were analyzed. The results show that grafting significantly reduced the total sulfur and Cd content in soybean leaves and grains; the Cd content in soybean leaves and grains decreased by >50 %. The plant's primary sulfur metabolism pathway was not significantly affected. Glucosinolates and DNA methylation may play important roles in reducing total sulfur and Cd accumulation. Notably, low sulfur and low Cd traits can be maintained over two generations. Our study establishes that grafting can reduce the total sulfur and Cd content in soybean, and these traits can be inherited. In summary, grafting technology can be used to prevent soybean from accumulating Cd in farmland soil. This provides a theoretical basis for grafting to cultivate crops with low Cd accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizong Sun
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chenyang Xue
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cheng Guo
- School of Environmental and Safety Engineering, Liaoning Petrochemical University, Fushun 113001, China
| | - Chunyun Jia
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Honghong Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xiangwen Pan
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding and Design, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Peidong Tai
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China.
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Su J, Yao Z, Wu Y, Lee J, Jeong J. Minireview: Chromatin-based regulation of iron homeostasis in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:959840. [PMID: 36186078 PMCID: PMC9523571 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.959840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plants utilize delicate mechanisms to effectively respond to changes in the availability of nutrients such as iron. The responses to iron status involve controlling gene expression at multiple levels. The regulation of iron deficiency response by a network of transcriptional regulators has been extensively studied and recent research has shed light on post-translational control of iron homeostasis. Although not as considerably investigated, an increasing number of studies suggest that histone modification and DNA methylation play critical roles during iron deficiency and contribute to fine-tuning iron homeostasis in plants. This review will focus on the current understanding of chromatin-based regulation on iron homeostasis in plants highlighting recent studies in Arabidopsis and rice. Understanding iron homeostasis in plants is vital, as it is not only relevant to fundamental biological questions, but also to agriculture, biofortification, and human health. A comprehensive overview of the effect and mechanism of chromatin-based regulation in response to iron status will ultimately provide critical insights in elucidating the complexities of iron homeostasis and contribute to improving iron nutrition in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Su
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, United States
| | - Zhujun Yao
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Yixuan Wu
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Joohyun Lee
- Division of Natural and Applied Sciences, Duke Kunshan University, Kunshan, China
| | - Jeeyon Jeong
- Department of Biology, Amherst College, Amherst, MA, United States
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10
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Vatov E, Zentgraf U, Ludewig U. Moderate DNA methylation changes associated with nitrogen remobilization and leaf senescence in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2022; 73:4733-4752. [PMID: 35552412 PMCID: PMC9366325 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erac167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The lifespan of plants is restricted by environmental and genetic components. Following the transition to reproductive growth, leaf senescence ends cellular life in monocarpic plants to remobilize nutrients to storage organs. In Arabidopsis, we initially observed altered leaf to seed ratios, faster senescence progression, altered leaf nitrogen recovery after transient nitrogen removal, and ultimately enhanced nitrogen remobilization from the leaves in two methylation mutants (ros1 and the triple dmr1/2 cmt3 knockout). Analysis of the DNA methylome in wild type Col-0 leaves identified an initial moderate decline of cytosine methylation with progressing leaf senescence, predominantly in the CG context. Late senescence was associated with moderate de novo methylation of cytosines, primarily in the CHH context. Relatively few differentially methylated regions, including one in the ROS1 promoter linked to down-regulation of ROS1, were present, but these were unrelated to known senescence-associated genes. Differential methylation patterns were identified in transcription factor binding sites, such as the W-boxes that are targeted by WRKYs. Methylation in artificial binding sites impaired transcription factor binding in vitro. However, it remains unclear how moderate methylome changes during leaf senescence are linked with up-regulated genes during senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emil Vatov
- Institute of Crop Science, Nutritional Crop Physiology, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, D-70593, Germany
- Center for Molecular Biology of Plants (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
| | - Ulrike Zentgraf
- Center for Molecular Biology of Plants (ZMBP), University of Tübingen, Tübingen, D-72076, Germany
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Leung C, Grulois D, Chevin LM. Plasticity across levels: relating epigenomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic responses to osmotic stress in a halotolerant microalga. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4672-4687. [PMID: 35593517 PMCID: PMC9543585 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity, the ability of a given genotype to produce alternative phenotypes in response to its environment of development, is an important mechanism for coping with variable environments. While the mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity are diverse, their relative contributions need to be investigated quantitatively to better understand the evolvability of plasticity across biological levels. This requires relating plastic responses of the epigenome, transcriptome, and organismal phenotype, and investigating how they vary with the genotype. Here we carried out this approach for responses to osmotic stress in Dunaliella salina, a green microalga that is a model organism for salinity tolerance. We compared two strains that show markedly different demographic responses to osmotic stress, and showed that these phenotypic responses involve strain‐ and environment‐specific variation in gene expression levels, but a relative low—albeit significant—effect of strain × environment interaction. We also found an important genotype effect on the genome‐wide methylation pattern, but little contribution from environmental conditions to the latter. However, we did detect a significant marginal effect of epigenetic variation on gene expression, beyond the influence of genetic differences on epigenetic state, and we showed that hypomethylated regions are correlated with higher gene expression. Our results indicate that epigenetic mechanisms are either not involved in the rapid plastic response to environmental change in this species, or involve only few changes in trans that are sufficient to trigger concerted changes in the expression of many genes, and phenotypic responses by multiple traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Leung
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
| | - Daphné Grulois
- CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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12
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Wen YX, Wang JY, Zhu HH, Han GH, Huang RN, Huang L, Hong YG, Zheng SJ, Yang JL, Chen WW. Potential Role of Domains Rearranged Methyltransferase7 in Starch and Chlorophyll Metabolism to Regulate Leaf Senescence in Tomato. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:836015. [PMID: 35211145 PMCID: PMC8860812 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.836015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation is an important epigenetic mark involved in diverse biological processes. Here, we report the critical function of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Domains Rearranged Methyltransferase7 (SlDRM7) in plant growth and development, especially in leaf interveinal chlorosis and senescence. Using a hairpin RNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi), we generated SlDRM7-RNAi lines and observed pleiotropic developmental defects including small and interveinal chlorosis leaves. Combined analyses of whole genome bisulfite sequence (WGBS) and RNA-seq revealed that silencing of SlDRM7 caused alterations in both methylation levels and transcript levels of 289 genes, which are involved in chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and starch degradation. Furthermore, the photosynthetic capacity decreased in SlDRM7-RNAi lines, consistent with the reduced chlorophyll content and repression of genes involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis, photosystem, and photosynthesis. In contrast, starch granules were highly accumulated in chloroplasts of SlDRM7-RNAi lines and associated with lowered expression of genes in the starch degradation pathway. In addition, SlDRM7 was activated by aging- and dark-induced senescence. Collectively, these results demonstrate that SlDRM7 acts as an epi-regulator to modulate the expression of genes related to starch and chlorophyll metabolism, thereby affecting leaf chlorosis and senescence in tomatoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Xin Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jia Yi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hui Hui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guang Hao Han
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ru Nan Huang
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Huang
- Laboratory of Cell & Molecular Biology, Institute of Vegetable Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yi Guo Hong
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shao Jian Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Li Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wei Chen
- Research Centre for Plant RNA Signaling and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Genetic Improvement and Quality Control of Medicinal Plants, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
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Shim S, Lee HG, Park OS, Shin H, Lee K, Lee H, Huh JH, Seo PJ. Dynamic changes in DNA methylation occur in TE regions and affect cell proliferation during leaf-to-callus transition in Arabidopsis. Epigenetics 2022; 17:41-58. [PMID: 33406971 PMCID: PMC8812807 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2021.1872927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant somatic cells can be reprogrammed into pluripotent cell mass, called callus, through a two-step in vitro tissue culture method. Incubation on callus-inducing medium triggers active cell proliferation to form a pluripotent callus. Notably, DNA methylation is implicated during callus formation, but a detailed molecular process regulated by DNA methylation remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we compared genome-wide DNA methylation profiles between leaf and callus tissues in Arabidopsis using whole-genome bisulphite-sequencing. Global distribution of DNA methylation showed that CHG methylation was increased, whereas CHH methylation was reduced especially around transposable element (TE) regions during the leaf-to-callus transition. We further analysed differentially expressed genes around differentially methylated TEs (DMTEs) during the leaf-to-callus transition and found that genes involved in cell cycle regulation were enriched and also constituted a coexpression gene network along with pluripotency regulators. In addition, a conserved DNA sequence analysis for upstream cis-elements led us to find a putative transcription factor associated with cell fate transition. CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) was newly identified as a regulator of plant regeneration, and consistently, the cca1lhy mutant displayed altered phenotypes in callus proliferation. Overall, these results suggest that DNA methylation coordinates cell cycle regulation during callus formation, and CCA1 may act as a key upstream coordinator at least in part in the processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangrea Shim
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hong Gil Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Ok-Sun Park
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hosub Shin
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyounghee Lee
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hongwoo Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jin Hoe Huh
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Bioresources, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Pil Joon Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea
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14
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Rui C, Zhang Y, Fan Y, Han M, Dai M, Wang Q, Chen X, Lu X, Wang D, Wang S, Gao W, Yu JZ, Ye W. Insight Between the Epigenetics and Transcription Responding of Cotton Hypocotyl Cellular Elongation Under Salt-Alkaline Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:772123. [PMID: 34868171 PMCID: PMC8632653 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.772123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Gossypium barbadense is a cultivated cotton not only known for producing superior fiber but also for its salt and alkaline resistance. Here, we used Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) technology to map the cytosine methylation of the whole genome of the G. barbadense hypocotyl at single base resolution. The methylation sequencing results showed that the mapping rates of the three samples were 75.32, 77.54, and 77.94%, respectively. In addition, the Bisulfite Sequence (BS) conversion rate was 99.78%. Approximately 71.03, 53.87, and 6.26% of the cytosine were methylated at CG, CHG, and CHH sequence contexts, respectively. A comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation and transcriptome data showed that the methylation level of the promoter region was a positive correlation in the CHH context. Saline-alkaline stress was related to the methylation changes of many genes, transcription factors (TFs) and transposable elements (TEs), respectively. We explored the regulatory mechanism of DNA methylation in response to salt and alkaline stress during cotton hypocotyl elongation. Our data shed light into the relationship of methylation regulation at the germination stage of G. barbadense hypocotyl cell elongation and salt-alkali treatment. The results of this research help understand the early growth regulation mechanism of G. barbadense in response to abiotic stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cun Rui
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education/College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Yuexin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Yapeng Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Mingge Han
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Maohua Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Qinqin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Xiugui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Xuke Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Delong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
| | - Wenwei Gao
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education/College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - John Z. Yu
- Crop Germplasm Research Unit, Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center, United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), College Station, TX, United States
| | - Wuwei Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Cotton Biology/Institute of Cotton Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Zhengzhou Research Base, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University/Key Laboratory for Cotton Genetic Improvement, MOA, Anyang, China
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education/College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
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15
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Arora D, Park JE, Lim D, Choi BH, Cho IC, Srikanth K, Kim J, Park W. Comparative methylation and RNA-seq expression analysis in CpG context to identify genes involved in Backfat vs. Liver diversification in Nanchukmacdon Pig. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:801. [PMID: 34743693 PMCID: PMC8573883 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08123-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation and demethylation at CpG islands is one of the main regulatory factors that allow cells to respond to different stimuli. These regulatory mechanisms help in developing tissue without affecting the genomic composition or undergoing selection. Liver and backfat play important roles in regulating lipid metabolism and control various pathways involved in reproductive performance, meat quality, and immunity. Genes inside these tissue store a plethora of information and an understanding of these genes is required to enhance tissue characteristics in the future generation. RESULTS A total of 16 CpG islands were identified, and they were involved in differentially methylation regions (DMRs) as well as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of liver and backfat tissue samples. The genes C7orf50, ACTB and MLC1 in backfat and TNNT3, SIX2, SDK1, CLSTN3, LTBP4, CFAP74, SLC22A23, FOXC1, GMDS, GSC, GATA4, SEMA5A and HOXA5 in the liver, were categorized as differentially-methylated. Subsequently, Motif analysis for DMRs was performed to understand the role of the methylated motif for tissue-specific differentiation. Gene ontology studies revealed association with collagen fibril organization, the Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP) signaling pathway in backfat and cholesterol biosynthesis, bile acid and bile salt transport, and immunity-related pathways in methylated genes expressed in the liver. CONCLUSIONS In this study, to understand the role of genes in the differentiation process, we have performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and RNA-seq analysis of Nanchukmacdon pigs. Methylation and motif analysis reveals the critical role of CpG islands and transcriptional factors binding site (TFBS) in guiding the differential patterns. Our findings could help in understanding how methylation of certain genes plays an important role and can be used as biomarkers to study tissue specific characteristics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devender Arora
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Eun Park
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dajeong Lim
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong-Hwan Choi
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Cheol Cho
- Subtropical Livestock Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 63242, Jeju, Korea
| | - Krishnamoorthy Srikanth
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, NY, 14853, Ithaca, USA
| | - Jaebum Kim
- Department of Biomedical Science and Engineering, Konkuk University, 05029, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Woncheoul Park
- Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics Division, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, 55365, Wanju, Republic of Korea.
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Shim S, Lee HG, Seo PJ. MET1-Dependent DNA Methylation Represses Light Signaling and Influences Plant Regeneration in Arabidopsis. Mol Cells 2021; 44:746-757. [PMID: 34711691 PMCID: PMC8560584 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.0160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Plant somatic cells can be reprogrammed into a pluripotent cell mass, called callus, which can be subsequently used for de novo shoot regeneration through a two-step in vitro tissue culture method. MET1-dependent CG methylation has been implicated in plant regeneration in Arabidopsis, because the met1-3 mutant exhibits increased shoot regeneration compared with the wild-type. To understand the role of MET1 in de novo shoot regeneration, we compared the genome-wide DNA methylomes and transcriptomes of wild-type and met1-3 callus and leaf. The CG methylation patterns were largely unchanged during leaf-to-callus transition, suggesting that the altered regeneration phenotype of met1-3 was caused by the constitutively hypomethylated genes, independent of the tissue type. In particular, MET1-dependent CG methylation was observed at the blue light receptor genes, CRYPTOCHROME 1 (CRY1) and CRY2, which reduced their expression. Coexpression network analysis revealed that the CRY1 gene was closely linked to cytokinin signaling genes. Consistently, functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes in met1-3 showed that gene ontology terms related to light and hormone signaling were overrepresented. Overall, our findings indicate that MET1-dependent repression of light and cytokinin signaling influences plant regeneration capacity and shoot identity establishment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangrea Shim
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Hong Gil Lee
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
| | - Pil Joon Seo
- Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
- Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea
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Sun S, Zhu J, Guo R, Whelan J, Shou H. DNA methylation is involved in acclimation to iron-deficiency in rice (Oryza sativa). THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 107:727-739. [PMID: 33977637 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Iron (Fe) is an essential micronutrient in plants, and Fe limitation significantly affects plant growth, yield and food quality. While many studies have reported the transcriptomic profile and pursue molecular mechanism in response to Fe limitation, little is known if epigenetic factors play a role in response to Fe-deficiency. In this study, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing analysis, high-throughput RNA-Seq of mRNA, small RNA and transposable element (TE) expression with root and shoot organs of rice seedlings under Fe-sufficient and Fe-deficient conditions were performed. The results showed that widespread hypermethylation, especially for the CHH context, occurred after Fe-deficiency. Integrative analysis of methylation and transcriptome revealed that the transcript abundance of Fe-deficiency-induced genes was negatively correlated with nearby TEs and positively with the 24-nucleotide siRNAs. The ability of methylation to affect the physiology and molecular response to Fe-deficiency was tested using an exogenous DNA methyltransferase inhibitor (5-azacytidine), and genetically using a mutant for domains rearranged methyltransferase 2 (DRM2), that lacks CHH methylation. Both approaches resulted in decreased growth and Fe content in rice plants. Thus, alterations in specific methylation patterns, directed by siRNAs, play an important role in acclimation of rice to Fe-deficient conditions. Furthermore, comparison with other reports suggests this may be a universal mechanism to acclimate to limited nutrient availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, P.R. China
- The Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Engineering Biology, International Campus of Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, P.R. China
| | - Jiamei Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, P.R. China
- The Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Engineering Biology, International Campus of Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, P.R. China
| | - Runze Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, P.R. China
- The Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Engineering Biology, International Campus of Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, P.R. China
| | - James Whelan
- The Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Engineering Biology, International Campus of Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, P.R. China
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, School of Life Science, La Trobe University, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Huixia Shou
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, P.R. China
- The Provincial International Science and Technology Cooperation Base on Engineering Biology, International Campus of Zhejiang University, Haining, Zhejiang, 314400, P.R. China
- Hainan Institute, Zhejiang University, Sanya, 572025, China
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18
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Plants' Epigenetic Mechanisms and Abiotic Stress. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12081106. [PMID: 34440280 PMCID: PMC8394019 DOI: 10.3390/genes12081106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants are sessile organisms that need to adapt to constantly changing environmental conditions. Unpredictable climate change places plants under a variety of abiotic stresses. Studying the regulation of stress-responsive genes can help to understand plants’ ability to adapt to fluctuating environmental conditions. Changes in epigenetic marks such as histone modifications and DNA methylation are known to regulate gene expression by their dynamic variation in response to stimuli. This can then affect their phenotypic plasticity, which helps with the adaptation of plants to adverse conditions. Epigenetic marks may also provide a mechanistic basis for stress memory, which enables plants to respond more effectively and efficiently to recurring stress and prepare offspring for potential future stresses. Studying epigenetic changes in addition to genetic factors is important to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying plant stress responses. This review summarizes the epigenetic mechanisms behind plant responses to some main abiotic stresses.
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19
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Zeng H, Wu H, Yan F, Yi K, Zhu Y. Molecular regulation of zinc deficiency responses in plants. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 261:153419. [PMID: 33915366 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2021.153419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient for plants and animals. Because of its low availability in arable soils worldwide, Zn deficiency is becoming a serious agricultural problem resulting in decreases of crop yield and nutritional quality. Plants have evolved multiple responses to adapt to low levels of soil Zn supply, involving biochemical and physiological changes to improve Zn acquisition and utilization, and defend against Zn deficiency stress. In this review, we summarize the physiological and biochemical adaptations of plants to Zn deficiency, the roles of transporters and metal-binding compounds in Zn homeostasis regulation, and the recent progresses in understanding the sophisticated regulatory mechanisms of Zn deficiency responses that have been made by molecular and genetic analyses, as well as diverse 'omics' studies. Zn deficiency responses are tightly controlled by multiple layers of regulation, such as transcriptional regulation that is mediated by transcription factors like F-group bZIP proteins, epigenetic regulation at the level of chromatin, and post-transcriptional regulation mediated by small RNAs and alternative splicing. The insights into the regulatory network underlying Zn deficiency responses and the perspective for further understandings of molecular regulation of Zn deficiency responses have been discussed. The understandings of the regulatory mechanisms will be important for improving Zn deficiency tolerance, Zn use efficiency, and Zn biofortification in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Houqing Zeng
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China.
| | - Haicheng Wu
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Giessen, 35392, Germany
| | - Keke Yi
- Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilizers, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China
| | - Yiyong Zhu
- Agricultural Resource and Environment Experiment Teaching Center, College of Resource and Environment Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Fan X, Liu L, Qian K, Chen J, Zhang Y, Xie P, Xu M, Hu Z, Yan W, Wu Y, Xu G, Fan X. Plant DNA methylation is sensitive to parent seed N content and influences the growth of rice. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:211. [PMID: 33975546 PMCID: PMC8111971 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-021-02953-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nitrogen (N) is an important nutrient for plant growth, development, and agricultural production. Nitrogen stress could induce epigenetic changes in plants. In our research, overexpression of the OsNAR2.1 line was used as a testing target in rice plants with high nitrogen-use efficiency to study the changes of rice methylation and growth in respond of the endogenous and external nitrogen stress. RESULTS Our results showed that external N deficiency could decrease seed N content and plant growth of the overexpression line. During the filial growth, we found that the low parent seed nitrogen (LPSN) in the overexpression line could lead to a decrease in the filial seed nitrogen content, total plant nitrogen content, yield, and OsNAR2.1 expression (28, 35, 23, and 55%, respectively) compared with high parent seed nitrogen (HPSN) in high nitrogen external supply. However, such decreases were not observed in wild type. Furthermore, methylation sequencing results showed that LPSN caused massive gene methylation changes, which enriched in over 20 GO pathways in the filial overexpression line, and the expression of OsNAR2.1 in LPSN filial overexpression plants was significantly reduced compared to HPSN filial plants in high external N, which was not shown in wild type. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that the parent seed nitrogen content decreased induced DNA methylation changes at the epigenetic level and significantly decreased the expression of OsNAR2.1, resulting in a heritable phenotype of N deficiency over two generations of the overexpression line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoru Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Laihua Liu
- Vazyme Biotech Co Ltd, Nanjing, 210033, China
| | - Kaiyun Qian
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Jingguang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- School of Agriculture, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yuyue Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Peng Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Man Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - WenKai Yan
- Bioinformatics Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- Bioinformatics Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Guohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Xiaorong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
- College of Resource and Environmental Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China.
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Yu Z, Zhang G, Teixeira da Silva JA, Li M, Zhao C, He C, Si C, Zhang M, Duan J. Genome-wide identification and analysis of DNA methyltransferase and demethylase gene families in Dendrobium officinale reveal their potential functions in polysaccharide accumulation. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 21:21. [PMID: 33407149 PMCID: PMC7789594 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-020-02811-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation is a conserved and important epigenetic modification involved in the regulation of numerous biological processes, including plant development, secondary metabolism, and response to stresses. However, no information is available regarding the identification of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase (C5-MTase) and DNA demethylase (dMTase) genes in the orchid Dendrobium officinale. RESULTS In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of DoC5-MTase and DodMTase gene families in D. officinale. Integrated analysis of conserved motifs, gene structures and phylogenetic analysis showed that eight DoC5-MTases were divided into four subfamilies (DoCMT, DoDNMT, DoDRM, DoMET) while three DodMTases were divided into two subfamilies (DoDML3, DoROS1). Multiple cis-acting elements, especially stress-responsive and hormone-responsive ones, were found in the promoter region of DoC5-MTase and DodMTase genes. Furthermore, we investigated the expression profiles of DoC5-MTase and DodMTase in 10 different tissues, as well as their transcript abundance under abiotic stresses (cold and drought) and at the seedling stage, in protocorm-like bodies, shoots, and plantlets. Interestingly, most DoC5-MTases were downregulated whereas DodMTases were upregulated by cold stress. At the seedling stage, DoC5-MTase expression decreased as growth proceeded, but DodMTase expression increased. CONCLUSIONS These results provide a basis for elucidating the role of DoC5-MTase and DodMTase in secondary metabolite production and responses to abiotic stresses in D. officinale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenming Yu
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
- Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Guihua Zhang
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Jaime A. Teixeira da Silva
- Independent researcher, P. O. Box 7, Miki-cho post office, Ikenobe 3011-2, Miki-cho, Kagawa-ken 761-0799 Japan
| | - Mingzhi Li
- Biodata Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Hefei, 230031 China
| | - Conghui Zhao
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Chunmei He
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Can Si
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Mingze Zhang
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
| | - Jun Duan
- Key Laboratory of South China Agricultural Plant Molecular Analysis and Genetic Improvement, South China Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
- Economic Botany, Core Botanical Gardens, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510650 China
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Genome-Wide Differential DNA Methylation and miRNA Expression Profiling Reveals Epigenetic Regulatory Mechanisms Underlying Nitrogen-Limitation-Triggered Adaptation and Use Efficiency Enhancement in Allotetraploid Rapeseed. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228453. [PMID: 33182819 PMCID: PMC7697602 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Improving crop nitrogen (N) limitation adaptation (NLA) is a core approach to enhance N use efficiency (NUE) and reduce N fertilizer application. Rapeseed has a high demand for N nutrients for optimal plant growth and seed production, but it exhibits low NUE. Epigenetic modification, such as DNA methylation and modification from small RNAs, is key to plant adaptive responses to various stresses. However, epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying NLA and NUE remain elusive in allotetraploid B. napus. In this study, we identified overaccumulated carbohydrate, and improved primary and lateral roots in rapeseed plants under N limitation, which resulted in decreased plant nitrate concentrations, enhanced root-to-shoot N translocation, and increased NUE. Transcriptomics and RT-qPCR assays revealed that N limitation induced the expression of NRT1.1, NRT1.5, NRT1.7, NRT2.1/NAR2.1, and Gln1;1, and repressed the transcriptional levels of CLCa, NRT1.8, and NIA1. High-resolution whole genome bisulfite sequencing characterized 5094 differentially methylated genes involving ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, N recycling, and phytohormone metabolism under N limitation. Hypermethylation/hypomethylation in promoter regions or gene bodies of some key N-metabolism genes might be involved in their transcriptional regulation by N limitation. Genome-wide miRNA sequencing identified 224 N limitation-responsive differentially expressed miRNAs regulating leaf development, amino acid metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Furthermore, degradome sequencing and RT-qPCR assays revealed the miR827-NLA pathway regulating limited N-induced leaf senescence as well as the miR171-SCL6 and miR160-ARF17 pathways regulating root growth under N deficiency. Our study provides a comprehensive insight into the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying rapeseed NLA, and it will be helpful for genetic engineering of NUE in crop species through epigenetic modification of some N metabolism-associated genes.
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Epigenetic Mechanisms of Plant Adaptation to Biotic and Abiotic Stresses. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21207457. [PMID: 33050358 PMCID: PMC7589735 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2020] [Revised: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Unlike animals, plants are immobile and could not actively escape the effects of aggressive environmental factors, such as pathogenic microorganisms, insect pests, parasitic plants, extreme temperatures, drought, and many others. To counteract these unfavorable encounters, plants have evolved very high phenotypic plasticity. In a rapidly changing environment, adaptive phenotypic changes often occur in time frames that are too short for the natural selection of adaptive mutations. Probably, some kind of epigenetic variability underlines environmental adaptation in these cases. Indeed, isogenic plants often have quite variable phenotypes in different habitats. There are examples of successful “invasions” of relatively small and genetically homogenous plant populations into entirely new habitats. The unique capability of quick environmental adaptation appears to be due to a high tendency to transmit epigenetic changes between plant generations. Multiple studies show that epigenetic memory serves as a mechanism of plant adaptation to a rapidly changing environment and, in particular, to aggressive biotic and abiotic stresses. In wild nature, this mechanism underlies, to a very significant extent, plant capability to live in different habitats and endure drastic environmental changes. In agriculture, a deep understanding of this mechanism could serve to elaborate more effective and safe approaches to plant protection.
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Mochida K, Nishii R, Hirayama T. Decoding Plant-Environment Interactions That Influence Crop Agronomic Traits. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 61:1408-1418. [PMID: 32392328 PMCID: PMC7434589 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcaa064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/26/2020] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
To ensure food security in the face of increasing global demand due to population growth and progressive urbanization, it will be crucial to integrate emerging technologies in multiple disciplines to accelerate overall throughput of gene discovery and crop breeding. Plant agronomic traits often appear during the plants' later growth stages due to the cumulative effects of their lifetime interactions with the environment. Therefore, decoding plant-environment interactions by elucidating plants' temporal physiological responses to environmental changes throughout their lifespans will facilitate the identification of genetic and environmental factors, timing and pathways that influence complex end-point agronomic traits, such as yield. Here, we discuss the expected role of the life-course approach to monitoring plant and crop health status in improving crop productivity by enhancing the understanding of plant-environment interactions. We review recent advances in analytical technologies for monitoring health status in plants based on multi-omics analyses and strategies for integrating heterogeneous datasets from multiple omics areas to identify informative factors associated with traits of interest. In addition, we showcase emerging phenomics techniques that enable the noninvasive and continuous monitoring of plant growth by various means, including three-dimensional phenotyping, plant root phenotyping, implantable/injectable sensors and affordable phenotyping devices. Finally, we present an integrated review of analytical technologies and applications for monitoring plant growth, developed across disciplines, such as plant science, data science and sensors and Internet-of-things technologies, to improve plant productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Mochida
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Japan
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama, Japan
- Graduate School of Nanobioscience, Yokohama City University, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Kurashiki, Japan
- Corresponding author: E-mail, ; Fax, +81-45-503-9609
| | - Ryuei Nishii
- School of Information and Data Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Takashi Hirayama
- Institute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama University, Kurashiki, Japan
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Chang YN, Zhu C, Jiang J, Zhang H, Zhu JK, Duan CG. Epigenetic regulation in plant abiotic stress responses. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 62:563-580. [PMID: 31872527 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.12901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 226] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
In eukaryotic cells, gene expression is greatly influenced by the dynamic chromatin environment. Epigenetic mechanisms, including covalent modifications to DNA and histone tails and the accessibility of chromatin, create various chromatin states for stress-responsive gene expression that is important for adaptation to harsh environmental conditions. Recent studies have revealed that many epigenetic factors participate in abiotic stress responses, and various chromatin modifications are changed when plants are exposed to stressful environments. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the cross-talk between abiotic stress response pathways and epigenetic regulatory pathways in plants. Our review focuses on epigenetic regulation of plant responses to extreme temperatures, drought, salinity, the stress hormone abscisic acid, nutrient limitations and ultraviolet stress, and on epigenetic mechanisms of stress memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Nan Chang
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chen Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Huiming Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Cheng-Guo Duan
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology and Center of Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, School of Life Sciences, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China
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Fan X, Chen J, Wu Y, Teo C, Xu G, Fan X. Genetic and Global Epigenetic Modification, Which Determines the Phenotype of Transgenic Rice? Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1819. [PMID: 32155767 PMCID: PMC7084647 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21051819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Transgenic technologies have been applied to a wide range of biological research. However, information on the potential epigenetic effects of transgenic technology is still lacking. Here, we show that the transgenic process can simultaneously induce both genetic and epigenetic changes in rice. We analyzed genetic, epigenetic, and phenotypic changes in plants subjected to tissue culture regeneration, using transgenic lines expressing the same coding sequence from two different promoters in transgenic lines of two rice cultivars: Wuyunjing7 (WYJ7) and Nipponbare (NP). We determined the expression of OsNAR2.1 in two overexpression lines generated from the two cultivars, and in the RNA interference (RNAi) OsNAR2.1 line in NP. DNA methylation analyses were performed on wild-type cultivars (WYJ7 and NP), regenerated lines (CK, T0 plants), segregation-derived wild-type from pOsNAR2.1-OsNAR2.1 (SDWT), pOsNAR2.1-OsNAR2.1, pUbi-OsNAR2.1, and RNAi lines. Interestingly, we observed global methylation decreased in the T0 regenerated line of WYJ7 (CK-WJY7) and pOsNAR2.1-OsNAR2.1 lines but increased in pUbi-OsNAR2.1 and RNAi lines of NP. Furthermore, the methylation pattern in SDWT returned to the WYJ7 level after four generations. Phenotypic changes were detected in all the generated lines except for SDWT. Global methylation was found to decrease by 13% in pOsNAR2.1-OsNAR2.1 with an increase in plant height of 4.69% compared with WYJ7, and increased by 18% in pUbi-OsNAR2.1 with an increase of 17.36% in plant height compared with NP. This suggests an absence of a necessary link between global methylation and the phenotype of transgenic plants with OsNAR2.1 gene over-expression. However, epigenetic changes can influence phenotype during tissue culture, as seen in the massive methylation in CK-WYJ7, T0 regenerated lines, resulting in decreased plant height compared with the wild-type, in the absence of a transformed gene. We conclude that in the transgenic lines the phenotype is mainly determined by the nature and function of the transgene after four generations of transformation, while the global epigenetic modification is dependent on the genetic background. Our research suggests an innovative insight in explaining the reason behind the occurrence of transgenic plants with random and undesirable phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoru Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.F.); (J.C.); (G.X.)
| | - Jingguang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.F.); (J.C.); (G.X.)
- CAAS-IRRI Joint Laboratory for Genomics-Assisted Germplasm Enhancement, Agricultural Genomics Institute in Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- Bioinformatics Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China;
| | - CheeHow Teo
- Centre of Research in Biotechnology for Agriculture (CEBAR), University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia;
| | - Guohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.F.); (J.C.); (G.X.)
| | - Xiaorong Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, MOA Key Laboratory of Plant Nutrition and Fertilization in Low-Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (X.F.); (J.C.); (G.X.)
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Grehl C, Wagner M, Lemnian I, Glaser B, Grosse I. Performance of Mapping Approaches for Whole-Genome Bisulfite Sequencing Data in Crop Plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:176. [PMID: 32256504 PMCID: PMC7093021 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is involved in many different biological processes in the development and well-being of crop plants such as transposon activation, heterosis, environment-dependent transcriptome plasticity, aging, and many diseases. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing is an excellent technology for detecting and quantifying DNA methylation patterns in a wide variety of species, but optimized data analysis pipelines exist only for a small number of species and are missing for many important crop plants. This is especially important as most existing benchmark studies have been performed on mammals with hardly any repetitive elements and without CHG and CHH methylation. Pipelines for the analysis of whole-genome bisulfite sequencing data usually consists of four steps: read trimming, read mapping, quantification of methylation levels, and prediction of differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Here we focus on read mapping, which is challenging because un-methylated cytosines are transformed to uracil during bisulfite treatment and to thymine during the subsequent polymerase chain reaction, and read mappers must be capable of dealing with this cytosine/thymine polymorphism. Several read mappers have been developed over the last years, with different strengths and weaknesses, but their performances have not been critically evaluated. Here, we compare eight read mappers: Bismark, BismarkBwt2, BSMAP, BS-Seeker2, Bwameth, GEM3, Segemehl, and GSNAP to assess the impact of the read-mapping results on the prediction of DMRs. We used simulated data generated from the genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica napus, Glycine max, Solanum tuberosum, and Zea mays, monitored the effects of the bisulfite conversion rate, the sequencing error rate, the maximum number of allowed mismatches, as well as the genome structure and size, and calculated precision, number of uniquely mapped reads, distribution of the mapped reads, run time, and memory consumption as features for benchmarking the eight read mappers mentioned above. Furthermore, we validated our findings using real-world data of Glycine max and showed the influence of the mapping step on DMR calling in WGBS pipelines. We found that the conversion rate had only a minor impact on the mapping quality and the number of uniquely mapped reads, whereas the error rate and the maximum number of allowed mismatches had a strong impact and leads to differences of the performance of the eight read mappers. In conclusion, we recommend BSMAP which needs the shortest run time and yields the highest precision, and Bismark which requires the smallest amount of memory and yields precision and high numbers of uniquely mapped reads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudius Grehl
- Institute of Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Martin Luther University Halle–Wittenberg, Von Seckendorff-Platz 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Agronomy and Nutritional Sciences, Soil Biogeochemistry, Martin Luther University Halle–Wittenberg, Von Seckendorff-Platz 3, Halle (Saale), Germany
- *Correspondence: Claudius Grehl,
| | - Marc Wagner
- Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ioana Lemnian
- Institute of Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Martin Luther University Halle–Wittenberg, Von Seckendorff-Platz 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Institute of Human Genetics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Bruno Glaser
- Institute of Agronomy and Nutritional Sciences, Soil Biogeochemistry, Martin Luther University Halle–Wittenberg, Von Seckendorff-Platz 3, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Ivo Grosse
- Institute of Computer Science, Bioinformatics, Martin Luther University Halle–Wittenberg, Von Seckendorff-Platz 1, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Bioinformatics Unit, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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28
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Parrilla-Doblas JT, Roldán-Arjona T, Ariza RR, Córdoba-Cañero D. Active DNA Demethylation in Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E4683. [PMID: 31546611 PMCID: PMC6801703 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20194683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation of cytosine (5-meC) is a critical epigenetic modification in many eukaryotes, and genomic DNA methylation landscapes are dynamically regulated by opposed methylation and demethylation processes. Plants are unique in possessing a mechanism for active DNA demethylation involving DNA glycosylases that excise 5-meC and initiate its replacement with unmodified C through a base excision repair (BER) pathway. Plant BER-mediated DNA demethylation is a complex process involving numerous proteins, as well as additional regulatory factors that avoid accumulation of potentially harmful intermediates and coordinate demethylation and methylation to maintain balanced yet flexible DNA methylation patterns. Active DNA demethylation counteracts excessive methylation at transposable elements (TEs), mainly in euchromatic regions, and one of its major functions is to avoid methylation spreading to nearby genes. It is also involved in transcriptional activation of TEs and TE-derived sequences in companion cells of male and female gametophytes, which reinforces transposon silencing in gametes and also contributes to gene imprinting in the endosperm. Plant 5-meC DNA glycosylases are additionally involved in many other physiological processes, including seed development and germination, fruit ripening, and plant responses to a variety of biotic and abiotic environmental stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jara Teresa Parrilla-Doblas
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Teresa Roldán-Arjona
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Rafael R Ariza
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Dolores Córdoba-Cañero
- Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
- Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
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29
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Huang XY, Li M, Luo R, Zhao FJ, Salt DE. Epigenetic regulation of sulfur homeostasis in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:4171-4182. [PMID: 31087073 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erz218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms for adaptation to fluctuating availability of nutrients in soil. Such mechanisms are of importance for plants to maintain homeostasis of nutrient elements for their development and growth. The molecular mechanisms controlling the homeostasis of nutrient elements at the genetic level have been gradually revealed, including the identification of regulatory factors and transporters responding to nutrient stresses. Recent studies have suggested that such responses are controlled not only by genetic regulation but also by epigenetic regulation. In this review, we present recent studies on the involvement of DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA-mediated gene silencing in the regulation of sulfur homeostasis and the response to sulfur deficiency. We also discuss the potential effect of sulfur-containing metabolites such as S-adenosylmethionine on the maintenance of DNA and histone methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin-Yuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Mengzhen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Rongjian Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Fang-Jie Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - David E Salt
- Future Food Beacon of Excellence and the School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough, Leicestershire, UK
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30
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Wang Q, Liu S, Lu C, La Y, Dai J, Ma H, Zhou S, Tan F, Wang X, Wu Y, Kong W, La H. Roles of CRWN-family proteins in protecting genomic DNA against oxidative damage. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 233:20-30. [PMID: 30576929 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 12/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
CROWDED NUCLEI (CRWN) family in Arabidopsis consists of four members, CRWN1 to CRWN4. It has been previously reported that the CRWN proteins are involved in the control of nuclear morphology and degradation of ABI5. In this study, however, we discover that CRWN-family proteins are not only involved in attenuating responsiveness to abscisic acid (ABA), but also implicated in inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and DNA damage induced by genotoxic agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). Our results demonstrate that three crwn double mutants, i.e. crwn1 crwn3, crwn2 crwn3, and crwn2 crwn4, show slightly earlier leaf senescence, enhanced leaf cell death, and obvious overaccumulation of ROS under regular growth conditions. When treated with 0.15 μM ABA or 0.01% MMS, two double mutants, crwn1 crwn3 and crwn2 crwn3, exhibit significant decreased germination rates as well as leaf opening and greening rates. Moreover, subsequent investigations indicate that the MMS treatment strongly inhibits the growth of crwn mutant seedlings, while this inhibition is substantially relieved by imidazole (IMZ); by contrast, DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) has no effect on relief of the growth inhibition. Further studies reveal that under 0.01% MMS treatment conditions, crwn mutants, especially the three double mutants, accumulate more ROS compared to Col-0, and their genomic DNA suffers from more severe DNA damage relative to Col-0, which is indicated by significantly higher 8-oxo-7-hydrodeoxyguanosine (8-oxo dG) content as observed in the crwn mutants. Altogether, these data clearly demonstrate that the CRWN-family proteins play important roles in diminishing ROS accumulation and protecting genomic DNA against excessive oxidative damage caused by MMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Chong Lu
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Yumei La
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Jie Dai
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Hongyu Ma
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Shaoxia Zhou
- College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Feng Tan
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Xiangyu Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Bioinformatics Center, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China
| | - Weiwen Kong
- School of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225009, China
| | - Honggui La
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210095, China.
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Mager S, Schönberger B, Ludewig U. The transcriptome of zinc deficient maize roots and its relationship to DNA methylation loss. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2018; 18:372. [PMID: 30587136 PMCID: PMC6307195 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-018-1603-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2018] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Zinc (Zn) is an essential micronutrient of all organisms. Deficiency of zinc causes disturbance in crucial plant functions, as a high number of enzymes, including transcription factors, depend on zinc for proper performance. The plant responses to zinc deficiency are associated with increased high affinity Zn uptake and translocation, as well as efficient usage of the remaining zinc, but have not been characterized in molecular detail in maize. RESULTS The high affinity transporter genes ZmZIP3,4,5,7 and 8 and nicotianamine synthases, primarily ZmNAS5, were identified as primary up-regulated in maize roots upon prolonged Zn deficiency. In addition to down-regulation of genes encoding enzymes involved in pathways regulating reactive oxygen species and cell wall-related genes, a massive up-regulation of the sucrose efflux channel genes SWEET13a,c was identified, despite that in -Zn sugar is known to accumulate in shoots. In addition, enzymes involved in DNA maintenance methylation tended to be repressed, which coincided with massively reduced DNA methylation in Zn-deficient roots. Reduced representation bisulfate sequencing, which revealed base-specific methylation patterns in ~ 14% of the maize genome, identified a major methylation loss in -Zn, mostly in transposable elements. However, hypermethylated genome regions in -Zn were also identified, especially in both symmetrical cytosine contexts. Differential methylation was partially associated with differentially expressed genes, their promoters, or transposons close to regulated genes. However, hypomethylation was associated with about equal number of up- or down-regulated genes, questioning a simple mechanistic relationship to gene expression. CONCLUSIONS The transcriptome of Zn-deficient roots identified genes and pathways to cope with the deficiency and a major down-regulation of reactive oxygen metabolism. Interestingly, a nutrient-specific loss of DNA methylation, partially related to gene expression in a context-specific manner, may play a role in long-term stress adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Mager
- Institute of Crop Science, Nutritional Crop Physiology, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 20, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Brigitte Schönberger
- Institute of Crop Science, Nutritional Crop Physiology, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 20, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Uwe Ludewig
- Institute of Crop Science, Nutritional Crop Physiology, University of Hohenheim, Fruwirthstr. 20, 70593 Stuttgart, Germany
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