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Rao X, Yang S, Lü S, Yang P. DNA Methylation Dynamics in Response to Drought Stress in Crops. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1977. [PMID: 39065503 PMCID: PMC11280950 DOI: 10.3390/plants13141977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 07/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Drought is one of the most hazardous environmental factors due to its severe damage on plant growth, development and productivity. Plants have evolved complex regulatory networks and resistance strategies for adaptation to drought stress. As a conserved epigenetic regulation, DNA methylation dynamically alters gene expression and chromosome interactions in plants' response to abiotic stresses. The development of omics technologies on genomics, epigenomics and transcriptomics has led to a rapid increase in research on epigenetic variation in non-model crop species. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings on the roles of DNA methylation under drought stress in crops, including methylating and demethylating enzymes, the global methylation dynamics, the dual regulation of DNA methylation on gene expression, the RNA-dependent DNA methylation (RdDM) pathway, alternative splicing (AS) events and long non-coding RNAs (lnc RNAs). We also discuss drought-induced stress memory. These epigenomic findings provide valuable potential for developing strategies to improve crop drought tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Pingfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China; (X.R.); (S.Y.); (S.L.)
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2
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Xie H, Li X, Sun Y, Lin L, Xu K, Lu H, Cheng B, Xue S, Cheng D, Qiang S. DNA Methylation of the Autonomous Pathway Is Associated with Flowering Time Variations in Arabidopsis thaliana. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7478. [PMID: 39000585 PMCID: PMC11242178 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Plant flowering time is affected by endogenous and exogenous factors, but its variation patterns among different populations of a species has not been fully established. In this study, 27 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions were used to investigate the relationship between autonomous pathway gene methylation, gene expression and flowering time variation. DNA methylation analysis, RT-qPCR and transgenic verification showed that variation in the flowering time among the Arabidopsis populations ranged from 19 to 55 days and was significantly correlated with methylation of the coding regions of six upstream genes in the autonomous pathway, FLOWERING LOCUS VE (FVE), FLOWERING LOCUS Y (FY), FLOWERING LOCUS D (FLD), PEPPER (PEP), HISTONE DEACETYLASE 5 (HAD5) and Pre-mRNA Processing Protein 39-1 (PRP39-1), as well as their relative expression levels. The expression of FVE and FVE(CS) was modified separately through degenerate codon substitution of cytosine and led to earlier flowering of transgenic plants by 8 days and 25 days, respectively. An accurate determination of methylated sites in FVE and FVE(CS) among those transgenic plants and the recipient Col-0 verified the close relationship between the number of methylation sites, expression and flowering time. Our findings suggest that the methylation variation of these six key upstream transcription factors was associated with the gene expression level of the autonomous pathway and flowering time in Arabidopsis. The FVE(CS) and FVE genes in transgenic plants tended to be hypermethylated, which could be a protective mechanism for plants. However, modification of gene sequences through degenerate codon substitution to reduce cytosine can avoid hypermethylated transferred genes in transgenic plants. It may be possible to partially regulate the flowering of plants by modified trans-epigenetic technology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sheng Qiang
- Weed Research Laboratory, College of Life Science, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (H.X.); (X.L.); (Y.S.); (L.L.); (K.X.); (H.L.); (B.C.); (S.X.); (D.C.)
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3
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Seem K, Kaur S, Kumar S, Mohapatra T. Epigenome editing for targeted DNA (de)methylation: a new perspective in modulating gene expression. Crit Rev Biochem Mol Biol 2024; 59:69-98. [PMID: 38440883 DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2024.2320659] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Traditionally, it has been believed that inheritance is driven as phenotypic variations resulting from changes in DNA sequence. However, this paradigm has been challenged and redefined in the contemporary era of epigenetics. The changes in DNA methylation, histone modification, non-coding RNA biogenesis, and chromatin remodeling play crucial roles in genomic functions and regulation of gene expression. More importantly, some of these changes are inherited to the next generations as a part of epigenetic memory and play significant roles in gene expression. The sum total of all changes in DNA bases, histone proteins, and ncRNA biogenesis constitutes the epigenome. Continuous progress in deciphering epigenetic regulations and the existence of heritable epigenetic/epiallelic variations associated with trait of interest enables to deploy epigenome editing tools to modulate gene expression. DNA methylation marks can be utilized in epigenome editing for the manipulation of gene expression. Initially, genome/epigenome editing technologies relied on zinc-finger protein or transcriptional activator-like effector protein. However, the discovery of clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeats CRISPR)/deadCRISPR-associated protein 9 (dCas9) enabled epigenome editing to be more specific/efficient for targeted DNA (de)methylation. One of the major concerns has been the off-target effects, wherein epigenome editing may unintentionally modify gene/regulatory element which may cause unintended change/harmful effects. Moreover, epigenome editing of germline cell raises several ethical/safety issues. This review focuses on the recent developments in epigenome editing tools/techniques, technological limitations, and future perspectives of this emerging technology in therapeutics for human diseases as well as plant improvement to achieve sustainable developmental goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karishma Seem
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Simardeep Kaur
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Suresh Kumar
- Division of Biochemistry, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, India
| | - Trilochan Mohapatra
- Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Authority, New Delhi, India
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4
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Kreiner JM, Hnatovska S, Stinchcombe JR, Wright SI. Quantifying the role of genome size and repeat content in adaptive variation and the architecture of flowering time in Amaranthus tuberculatus. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010865. [PMID: 38150485 PMCID: PMC10775983 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010865] [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: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome size variation, largely driven by repeat content, is poorly understood within and among populations, limiting our understanding of its significance for adaptation. Here we characterize intraspecific variation in genome size and repeat content across 186 individuals of Amaranthus tuberculatus, a ubiquitous native weed that shows flowering time adaptation to climate across its range and in response to agriculture. Sequence-based genome size estimates vary by up to 20% across individuals, consistent with the considerable variability in the abundance of transposable elements, unknown repeats, and rDNAs across individuals. The additive effect of this variation has important phenotypic consequences-individuals with more repeats, and thus larger genomes, show slower flowering times and growth rates. However, compared to newly-characterized gene copy number and polygenic nucleotide changes underlying variation in flowering time, we show that genome size is a marginal contributor. Differences in flowering time are reflected by genome size variation across sexes and marginally, habitats, while polygenic variation and a gene copy number variant within the ATP synthesis pathway show consistently stronger environmental clines than genome size. Repeat content nonetheless shows non-neutral distributions across the genome, and across latitudinal and environmental gradients, demonstrating the numerous governing processes that in turn influence quantitative genetic variation for phenotypes key to plant adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia M. Kreiner
- Department of Botany, Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
| | - Solomiya Hnatovska
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto
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Zuo DD, Ahammed GJ, Guo DL. Plant transcriptional memory and associated mechanism of abiotic stress tolerance. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 201:107917. [PMID: 37523825 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Plants face various adverse environmental conditions, particularly with the ongoing changes in global climate, which drastically affect the growth, development and productivity of crops. To cope with these stresses, plants have evolved complex mechanisms, and one of the crucial ways is to develop transcriptional memories from stress exposure. This induced learning enables plants to better and more strongly restart the response and adaptation mechanism to stress when similar or dissimilar stresses reoccur. Understanding the molecular mechanism behind plant transcriptional memory of stress can provide a theoretical basis for breeding stress-tolerant crops with resilience to future climates. Here we review the recent research progress on the transcriptional memory of plants under various stresses and the applications of underlying mechanisms for sustainable agricultural production. We propose that a thorough understanding of plant transcriptional memory is crucial for both agronomic management and resistant breeding, and thus may help to improve agricultural yield and quality under changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding-Ding Zuo
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China; Henan Engineering Technology Research Center of Quality Regulation of Horticultural Plants, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Golam Jalal Ahammed
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China; Henan Engineering Technology Research Center of Quality Regulation of Horticultural Plants, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Da-Long Guo
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China; Henan Engineering Technology Research Center of Quality Regulation of Horticultural Plants, Luoyang, 471023, China.
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Mao F, Xie H, Shi Y, Jiang S, Wang S, Wu Y. The Global Changes of N6-methyldeoxyadenosine in Response to Low Temperature in Arabidopsis thaliana and Rice. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2373. [PMID: 37375998 DOI: 10.3390/plants12122373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyldeoxyadenosine (6mA) is a recently discovered DNA modification involved in regulating plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. However, the mechanisms and changes of 6mA under cold stress in plants are not yet fully understood. Here, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of 6mA and observed that 6mA peaks were predominantly present within the gene body regions under both normal and cold conditions. In addition, the global level of 6mA increased both in Arabidopsis and rice after the cold treatment. The genes that exhibited an up-methylation showed enrichment in various biological processes, whereas there was no significant enrichment observed among the down-methylated genes. The association analysis revealed a positive correlation between the 6mA level and the gene expression level. Joint analysis of the 6mA methylome and transcriptome of Arabidopsis and rice unraveled that fluctuations in 6mA levels caused by cold exposure were not correlated to changes in transcript levels. Furthermore, we discovered that orthologous genes modified by 6mA showed high expression levels; however, only a minor amount of differentially 6mA-methylated orthologous genes were shared between Arabidopsis and rice under low-temperature conditions. In conclusion, our study provides information on the role of 6mA in response to cold stress and reveals its potential for regulating the expression of stress-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Mao
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Hairong Xie
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yucheng Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shasha Jiang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shuai Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yufeng Wu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Bioinformatics Center, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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Gusain S, Joshi S, Joshi R. Sensing, signalling, and regulatory mechanism of cold-stress tolerance in plants. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2023; 197:107646. [PMID: 36958153 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2023.107646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Cold stress is a crucial environmental factor influencing growth and distribution and possessing yield penalties. To survive in the cold, plants have evolved to use a range of molecular mechanisms. The major regulatory pathway under low-temperature stress involves the conversion of external stimulus into an internal signal that triggers a defence mechanism through a transcriptional cascade to counter stress. Cold-receptive mechanism and cell signalling involve cold-related signalling molecules, sensors, calcium signals, MAPK cascade, and ICE-COR-CBF pathway that modulate signal transduction in plants. Of these, the ICE-CBF-COR signalling is considered to be an important regulator for cold-stress acclimation. ICE stimulates acclimation to cold and plays a pivotal role in regulating CBF-mediated cold-tolerance mechanism. Thus, CBFs regulate COR gene expression by binding to its promoter. Similarly, the C-repeat binding factor-dependent signalling cascade also stimulates osmotic stress-regulatory gene expression. This review elucidates the regulatory mechanism underlying cold stress, i.e., signal molecules, cold receptors, signal-transduction pathways, metabolic regulation under cold stress, and crosstalk of regulatory pathways with other abiotic stresses in plants. The results may pave the way for crop improvement in low-temperature environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Gusain
- Division of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC Campus, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Shubham Joshi
- Division of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC Campus, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Rohit Joshi
- Division of Biotechnology, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), CSIR-HRDC Campus, Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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8
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Sahoo DK, Hegde C, Bhattacharyya MK. Identification of multiple novel genetic mechanisms that regulate chilling tolerance in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1094462. [PMID: 36714785 PMCID: PMC9878698 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1094462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cold stress adversely affects the growth and development of plants and limits the geographical distribution of many plant species. Accumulation of spontaneous mutations shapes the adaptation of plant species to diverse climatic conditions. METHODS The genome-wide association study of the phenotypic variation gathered by a newly designed phenomic platform with the over six millions single nucleotide polymorphic (SNP) loci distributed across the genomes of 417 Arabidopsis natural variants collected from various geographical regions revealed 33 candidate cold responsive genes. RESULTS Investigation of at least two independent insertion mutants for 29 genes identified 16 chilling tolerance genes governing diverse genetic mechanisms. Five of these genes encode novel leucine-rich repeat domain-containing proteins including three nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) proteins. Among the 16 identified chilling tolerance genes, ADS2 and ACD6 are the only two chilling tolerance genes identified earlier. DISCUSSION The 12.5% overlap between the genes identified in this genome-wide association study (GWAS) of natural variants with those discovered previously through forward and reverse genetic approaches suggests that chilling tolerance is a complex physiological process governed by a large number of genetic mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Chinmay Hegde
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
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Characterization of Highbush Blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.) Anthocyanin Biosynthesis Related MYBs and Functional Analysis of VcMYB Gene. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2023; 45:379-399. [PMID: 36661513 PMCID: PMC9857026 DOI: 10.3390/cimb45010027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
As one of the most important transcription factors regulating plant anthocyanin biosynthesis, MYB has attracted great attentions. In this study, we identified fifteen candidate anthocyanin biosynthesis related MYB (ABRM) proteins, including twelve R2R3-MYBs and three 1R-MYBs, from highbush blueberry. The subcellular localization prediction results showed that, with the exception of VcRVE8 (localized in chloroplast and nucleus), all of the blueberry ABRMs were nucleus-localized. The gene structure analysis revealed that the exon numbers of the blueberry ABRM genes varied greatly, ranging between one and eight. There are many light-responsive, phytohormone-responsive, abiotic stress-responsive and plant growth and development related cis-acting elements in the promoters of the blueberry ABRM genes. It is noteworthy that almost all of their promoters contain light-, ABA- and MeJA-responsive elements, which is consistent with the well-established results that anthocyanin accumulation and the expression of MYBs are influenced significantly by many factors, such as light, ABA and JA. The gene expression analysis revealed that VcMYB, VcMYB6, VcMYB23, VcMYBL2 and VcPH4 are expressed abundantly in blueberry fruits, and VcMYB is expressed the highest in the red, purple and blue fruits among all blueberry ABRMs. VcMYB shared high similarity with functionally proven ABRMs from many other plant species. The gene cloning results showed that VcMYB had three variable transcripts, but only the transient overexpression of VcMYB-1 promoted anthocyanin accumulation in the green fruits. Our study can provide a basis for future research on the anthocyanin biosynthesis related MYBs in blueberry.
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Ramakrishnan M, Zhang Z, Mullasseri S, Kalendar R, Ahmad Z, Sharma A, Liu G, Zhou M, Wei Q. Epigenetic stress memory: A new approach to study cold and heat stress responses in plants. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1075279. [PMID: 36570899 PMCID: PMC9772030 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1075279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Understanding plant stress memory under extreme temperatures such as cold and heat could contribute to plant development. Plants employ different types of stress memories, such as somatic, intergenerational and transgenerational, regulated by epigenetic changes such as DNA and histone modifications and microRNAs (miRNA), playing a key role in gene regulation from early development to maturity. In most cases, cold and heat stresses result in short-term epigenetic modifications that can return to baseline modification levels after stress cessation. Nevertheless, some of the modifications may be stable and passed on as stress memory, potentially allowing them to be inherited across generations, whereas some of the modifications are reactivated during sexual reproduction or embryogenesis. Several stress-related genes are involved in stress memory inheritance by turning on and off transcription profiles and epigenetic changes. Vernalization is the best example of somatic stress memory. Changes in the chromatin structure of the Flowering Locus C (FLC) gene, a MADS-box transcription factor (TF), maintain cold stress memory during mitosis. FLC expression suppresses flowering at high levels during winter; and during vernalization, B3 TFs, cold memory cis-acting element and polycomb repressive complex 1 and 2 (PRC1 and 2) silence FLC activation. In contrast, the repression of SQUAMOSA promoter-binding protein-like (SPL) TF and the activation of Heat Shock TF (HSFA2) are required for heat stress memory. However, it is still unclear how stress memory is inherited by offspring, and the integrated view of the regulatory mechanisms of stress memory and mitotic and meiotic heritable changes in plants is still scarce. Thus, in this review, we focus on the epigenetic regulation of stress memory and discuss the application of new technologies in developing epigenetic modifications to improve stress memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muthusamy Ramakrishnan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhijun Zhang
- Bamboo Industry Institute, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- School of Forestry and Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Sileesh Mullasseri
- Department of Zoology, St. Albert’s College (Autonomous), Kochi, Kerala, India
| | - Ruslan Kalendar
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, Biocenter 3, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Zishan Ahmad
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Anket Sharma
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Bamboo Industry Institute, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Guohua Liu
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mingbing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Bamboo Industry Institute, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center for Bamboo Resources and High-Efficiency Utilization, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiang Wei
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Bamboo Research Institute, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Subtropical Forest Biodiversity Conservation, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
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Galanti D, Ramos-Cruz D, Nunn A, Rodríguez-Arévalo I, Scheepens JF, Becker C, Bossdorf O. Genetic and environmental drivers of large-scale epigenetic variation in Thlaspi arvense. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010452. [PMID: 36223399 PMCID: PMC9591053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural plant populations often harbour substantial heritable variation in DNA methylation. However, a thorough understanding of the genetic and environmental drivers of this epigenetic variation requires large-scale and high-resolution data, which currently exist only for a few model species. Here, we studied 207 lines of the annual weed Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress), collected across a large latitudinal gradient in Europe and propagated in a common environment. By screening for variation in DNA sequence and DNA methylation using whole-genome (bisulfite) sequencing, we found significant epigenetic population structure across Europe. Average levels of DNA methylation were strongly context-dependent, with highest DNA methylation in CG context, particularly in transposable elements and in intergenic regions. Residual DNA methylation variation within all contexts was associated with genetic variants, which often co-localized with annotated methylation machinery genes but also with new candidates. Variation in DNA methylation was also significantly associated with climate of origin, with methylation levels being lower in colder regions and in more variable climates. Finally, we used variance decomposition to assess genetic versus environmental associations with differentially methylated regions (DMRs). We found that while genetic variation was generally the strongest predictor of DMRs, the strength of environmental associations increased from CG to CHG and CHH, with climate-of-origin as the strongest predictor in about one third of the CHH DMRs. In summary, our data show that natural epigenetic variation in Thlaspi arvense is significantly associated with both DNA sequence and environment of origin, and that the relative importance of the two factors strongly depends on the sequence context of DNA methylation. T. arvense is an emerging biofuel and winter cover crop; our results may hence be relevant for breeding efforts and agricultural practices in the context of rapidly changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Galanti
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Ramos-Cruz
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Adam Nunn
- ecSeq Bioinformatics GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Computer Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Isaac Rodríguez-Arévalo
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - J. F. Scheepens
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Ali S, Khan N, Tang Y. Epigenetic marks for mitigating abiotic stresses in plants. JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 275:153740. [PMID: 35716656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2022.153740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Abiotic stressors are one of the major factors affecting agricultural output. Plants have evolved adaptive systems to respond appropriately to various environmental cues. These responses can be accomplished by modulating or fine-tuning genetic and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms. Understanding the response of plants' molecular features to abiotic stress is a priority in the current period of continued environmental changes. Epigenetic modifications are necessary that control gene expression by changing chromatin status and recruiting various transcription regulators. The present study summarized the current knowledge on epigenetic modifications concerning plant responses to various environmental stressors. The functional relevance of epigenetic marks in regulating stress tolerance has been revealed, and epigenetic changes impact the effector genes. This study looks at the epigenetic mechanisms that govern plant abiotic stress responses, especially DNA methylation, histone methylation/acetylation, chromatin remodeling, and various metabolites. Plant breeders will benefit from a thorough understanding of these processes to create alternative crop improvement approaches. Genome editing with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated proteins (CRISPR/Cas) provides genetic tools to make agricultural genetic engineering more sustainable and publicly acceptable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Ali
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-environmental Science, Longhua Institute of Innovative Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
| | - Naeem Khan
- Department of Agronomy, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Yulin Tang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory for Plant Epigenetics, Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Bioresource & Eco-environmental Science, Longhua Institute of Innovative Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, Guangdong Province, China; Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Devices and Systems of Ministry of Education and Guangdong Province, College of Optoelectronic Engineering, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518060, China.
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13
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Sharma M, Kumar P, Verma V, Sharma R, Bhargava B, Irfan M. Understanding plant stress memory response for abiotic stress resilience: Molecular insights and prospects. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2022; 179:10-24. [PMID: 35305363 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2022.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
As sessile species and without the possibility of escape, plants constantly face numerous environmental stresses. To adapt in the external environmental cues, plants adjust themselves against such stresses by regulating their physiological, metabolic and developmental responses to external environmental cues. Certain environmental stresses rarely occur during plant life, while others, such as heat, drought, salinity, and cold are repetitive. Abiotic stresses are among the foremost environmental variables that have hindered agricultural production globally. Through distinct mechanisms, these stresses induce various morphological, biochemical, physiological, and metabolic changes in plants, directly impacting their growth, development, and productivity. Subsequently, plant's physiological, metabolic, and genetic adjustments to the stress occurrence provide necessary competencies to adapt, survive and nurture a condition known as "memory." This review emphasizes the advancements in various epigenetic-related chromatin modifications, DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, phytohormones, and microRNAs associated with abiotic stress memory. Plants have the ability to respond quickly to stressful situations and can also improve their defense systems by retaining and sustaining stressful memories, allowing for stronger or faster responses to repeated stressful situations. Although there are relatively few examples of such memories, and no clear understanding of their duration, taking into consideration plenty of stresses in nature. Understanding these mechanisms in depth could aid in the development of genetic tools to improve breeding techniques, resulting in higher agricultural yield and quality under changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megha Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India.
| | - Vipasha Verma
- Agrotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Rajnish Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Bhavya Bhargava
- Agrotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur, 176061, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Mohammad Irfan
- Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
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14
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Saha D, Shaw AK, Datta S, Mitra J, Kar G. DNA hypomethylation is the plausible driver of heat stress adaptation in Linum usitatissimum. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2022; 174:e13689. [PMID: 35462427 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Heat stress has a significant impact on the climatic adaptation of flax, a cool-season economic crop. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns are crucial for understanding how flax cultivars respond to heat adversities. It is worth noting that the DNA methylome in flax has yet to be investigated at the nucleotide level. Although heat stress above 40°C caused oxidative damage in flax leaves, 5-azacytidine, a hypomethylating agent, reduced this effect by 15%-24%. Differences in the expression of the LuMET1 (DNA methyltransferase) gene suggested that DNA methylation/demethylation may play a major role in the flax heat stress response. Thus, whole-genome bisulfite sequencing-derived DNA methylation profiles in flax, with or without heat stress and 5-azaC, were developed and analyzed here. In response to heat stress, a high percentage of significant differentially methylated regions (DMRs), particularly hypomethylated DMRs, were identified in the CHH nucleotide sequence context (H = A/T/C). Some of these DMRs overlapped with transposable element insertions. The majority of DMRs were discovered in intergenic regions, but several DMR loci were also found near genes relevant to heat stress response and epigenetic processes. These DMRs, in particular, are linked to CpG islands, implying a possible role in promoter methylation and gene silencing. The DMRs discovered in this study are crucial for understanding and identifying the key players in heat stress response in flax, which will help in developing climate-smart flax varieties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipnarayan Saha
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, India
| | - Arun Kumar Shaw
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, India
| | - Subhojit Datta
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, India
| | - Jiban Mitra
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, India
| | - Gouranga Kar
- ICAR-Central Research Institute for Jute and Allied Fibres, Barrackpore, India
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15
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Stochastic Variation in DNA Methylation Modulates Nucleosome Occupancy and Alternative Splicing in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11091105. [PMID: 35567106 PMCID: PMC9101026 DOI: 10.3390/plants11091105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plants use complex gene regulatory mechanisms to overcome diverse environmental challenges. For instance, cold stress induces rapid and massive transcriptome changes via alternative splicing (AS) to confer cold tolerance in plants. In mammals, mounting evidence suggests chromatin structure can regulate co-transcriptional AS. Recent evidence also supports co-transcriptional regulation of AS in plants, but how dynamic changes in DNA methylation and the chromatin structure influence the AS process upon cold stress remains poorly understood. In this study, we used the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-Aza-2′-Deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) to investigate the role of stochastic variations in DNA methylation and nucleosome occupancy in modulating cold-induced AS, in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). Our results demonstrate that 5-aza-dC derived stochastic hypomethylation modulates nucleosome occupancy and AS profiles of genes implicated in RNA metabolism, plant hormone signal transduction, and of cold-related genes in response to cold stress. We also demonstrate that cold-induced remodelling of DNA methylation regulates genes involved in amino acid metabolism. Collectively, we demonstrate that sudden changes in DNA methylation via drug treatment can influence nucleosome occupancy levels and modulate AS in a temperature-dependent manner to regulate plant metabolism and physiological stress adaptation.
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16
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Lohani N, Singh MB, Bhalla PL. Biological Parts for Engineering Abiotic Stress Tolerance in Plants. BIODESIGN RESEARCH 2022; 2022:9819314. [PMID: 37850130 PMCID: PMC10521667 DOI: 10.34133/2022/9819314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
It is vital to ramp up crop production dramatically by 2050 due to the increasing global population and demand for food. However, with the climate change projections showing that droughts and heatwaves becoming common in much of the globe, there is a severe threat of a sharp decline in crop yields. Thus, developing crop varieties with inbuilt genetic tolerance to environmental stresses is urgently needed. Selective breeding based on genetic diversity is not keeping up with the growing demand for food and feed. However, the emergence of contemporary plant genetic engineering, genome-editing, and synthetic biology offer precise tools for developing crops that can sustain productivity under stress conditions. Here, we summarize the systems biology-level understanding of regulatory pathways involved in perception, signalling, and protective processes activated in response to unfavourable environmental conditions. The potential role of noncoding RNAs in the regulation of abiotic stress responses has also been highlighted. Further, examples of imparting abiotic stress tolerance by genetic engineering are discussed. Additionally, we provide perspectives on the rational design of abiotic stress tolerance through synthetic biology and list various bioparts that can be used to design synthetic gene circuits whose stress-protective functions can be switched on/off in response to environmental cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neeta Lohani
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Mohan B. Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Prem L. Bhalla
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Laboratory, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
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17
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Wang YM, Zhang YM, Zhang X, Zhao X, Zhang Y, Wang C, Wang YC, Wang LQ. Poplar PsnICE1 enhances cold tolerance by binding to different cis-acting elements to improve reactive oxygen species-scavenging capability. TREE PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 41:2424-2437. [PMID: 34185092 DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpab084] [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: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Low temperature is a major stress that severely affects plant growth and development. Inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE1) plays a key role in plant cold tolerance by regulating the expression of cold stress-responsive genes. In the present study, we characterized the function and underlying regulatory mechanism of PsnICE1 from Xiaohei poplar (Populus simonii × Populus nigra). PsnICE1 was significantly induced in response to cold stress in the roots, stems and leaves. PsnICE1 proteins were found to localize to the nucleus and exert transactivation activity via their N-terminal transactivation domain. Compared with non-transgenic poplar, transgenic poplar overexpressing PsnICE1 showed substantially enhanced tolerance to cold stress, with higher survival rates and antioxidant enzyme activity levels and reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. In contrast, plants with RNA inhibition-mediated silencing of PsnICE1 showed the opposite phenotype. PsnICE1 can bind to H-box element and abscisic acid-responsive element (ABRE), and more importantly, it mainly binds to IBS1 (a newly discovered cis-acting element) and E-box elements to regulate stress-related genes involved in ROS scavenging. Overall, these results indicated that PsnICE1 functions as a positive regulator of cold tolerance and serves as a potential candidate gene for plant cold tolerance improvement via molecular breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dongxiaofu 1, Xiangshan Road, Beijing 100091, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
- Key Laboratory of Fast-Growing Tree Cultivating of Heilongjiang Province, Forestry Science Research Institute of Heilongjiang Province, 134 haping Road, Harbin 150081, China
| | - Yi-Ming Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dongxiaofu 1, Xiangshan Road, Beijing 100091, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
| | - Yu-Cheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, 51 Hexing Road, Harbin 150040, China
- State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 818 Beijingnan Road, Urumqi 830011, China
| | - Liu-Qiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry, Dongxiaofu 1, Xiangshan Road, Beijing 100091, China
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18
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The Dynamism of Transposon Methylation for Plant Development and Stress Adaptation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111387. [PMID: 34768817 PMCID: PMC8583499 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plant development processes are regulated by epigenetic alterations that shape nuclear structure, gene expression, and phenotypic plasticity; these alterations can provide the plant with protection from environmental stresses. During plant growth and development, these processes play a significant role in regulating gene expression to remodel chromatin structure. These epigenetic alterations are mainly regulated by transposable elements (TEs) whose abundance in plant genomes results in their interaction with genomes. Thus, TEs are the main source of epigenetic changes and form a substantial part of the plant genome. Furthermore, TEs can be activated under stress conditions, and activated elements cause mutagenic effects and substantial genetic variability. This introduces novel gene functions and structural variation in the insertion sites and primarily contributes to epigenetic modifications. Altogether, these modifications indirectly or directly provide the ability to withstand environmental stresses. In recent years, many studies have shown that TE methylation plays a major role in the evolution of the plant genome through epigenetic process that regulate gene imprinting, thereby upholding genome stability. The induced genetic rearrangements and insertions of mobile genetic elements in regions of active euchromatin contribute to genome alteration, leading to genomic stress. These TE-mediated epigenetic modifications lead to phenotypic diversity, genetic variation, and environmental stress tolerance. Thus, TE methylation is essential for plant evolution and stress adaptation, and TEs hold a relevant military position in the plant genome. High-throughput techniques have greatly advanced the understanding of TE-mediated gene expression and its associations with genome methylation and suggest that controlled mobilization of TEs could be used for crop breeding. However, development application in this area has been limited, and an integrated view of TE function and subsequent processes is lacking. In this review, we explore the enormous diversity and likely functions of the TE repertoire in adaptive evolution and discuss some recent examples of how TEs impact gene expression in plant development and stress adaptation.
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19
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Hereme R, Galleguillos C, Morales-Navarro S, Molina-Montenegro MA. What if the cold days return? Epigenetic mechanisms in plants to cold tolerance. PLANTA 2021; 254:46. [PMID: 34370110 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-021-03694-1] [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: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The epigenetic could be an important, but seldom assessed, mechanisms in plants inhabiting cold ecosystems. Thus, this review could help to fill a gap in the current literature. Low temperatures are one of the most critical environmental conditions that negatively affect the growth, development, and geographic distribution of plants. Exposure to low temperatures results in a suit of physiological, biochemical and molecular modifications through the reprogramming of the expression of genes and transcription factors. Scientific evidence shows that the average annual temperature has increased in recent years worldwide, with cold ecosystems (polar and high mountain) being among the most sensitive to these changes. However, scientific evidence also indicates that there would be specific events of low temperatures, due it is highly relevant to know the capacity for adaptation, regulation and epigenetic memory in the face of these events, by plants. Epigenetic regulation has been described to play an important role in the face of environmental stimuli, especially in response to abiotic stress. Several studies on epigenetic mechanisms have focused on responses to stress as drought and/or salinity; however, there is a gap in the current literature considering those related to low temperatures. In this review, we focus on systematizing the information published to date, related to the regulation of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modification, and non-coding RNA-dependent silencing mechanisms, in the face of plant´s stress due to low temperatures. Finally, we present a schematic model about the potential responses by plants taking in count their epigenetic memory; considering a global warming scenario and with the presence or absence of extreme specific events of low temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasme Hereme
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile
| | | | | | - Marco A Molina-Montenegro
- Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Talca, Campus Talca, Talca, Chile.
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo, Chile.
- Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Avanzados del Maule (CIEAM), Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
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20
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Maize DNA Methylation in Response to Drought Stress Is Involved in Target Gene Expression and Alternative Splicing. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158285. [PMID: 34361051 PMCID: PMC8347047 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is important for plant growth, development, and stress response. To understand DNA methylation dynamics in maize roots under water stress (WS), we reanalyzed DNA methylation sequencing data to profile DNA methylation and the gene expression landscape of two inbred lines with different drought sensitivities, as well as two of their derived recombination inbred lines (RILs). Combined with genotyping-by-sequencing, we found that the inheritance pattern of DNA methylation between RILs and parental lines was sequence-dependent. Increased DNA methylation levels were observed under WS and the methylome of drought-tolerant inbred lines were much more stable than that of the drought-sensitive inbred lines. Distinctive differentially methylated genes were found among diverse genetic backgrounds, suggesting that inbred lines with different drought sensitivities may have responded to stress in varying ways. Gene body DNA methylation showed a negative correlation with gene expression but a positive correlation with exon splicing events. Furthermore, a positive correlation of a varying extent was observed between small interfering RNA (siRNA) and DNA methylation, which at different genic regions. The response of siRNAs under WS was consistent with the differential DNA methylation. Taken together, our data can be useful in deciphering the roles of DNA methylation in plant drought-tolerance variations and in emphasizing its function in alternative splicing.
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21
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Liu J, He Z. Small DNA Methylation, Big Player in Plant Abiotic Stress Responses and Memory. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2020; 11:595603. [PMID: 33362826 PMCID: PMC7758401 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.595603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic mark that plays important roles in maintaining genome stability and regulating gene expression. As sessile organisms, plants have evolved sophisticated regulatory systems to endure or respond to diverse adverse abiotic environmental challenges, i.e., abiotic stresses, such as extreme temperatures (cold and heat), drought and salinity. Plant stress responses are often accompanied by changes in chromatin modifications at diverse responsive loci, such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and N 6-methyladenine (6mA) DNA methylation. Some abiotic stress responses are memorized for several hours or days through mitotic cell divisions and quickly reset to baseline levels after normal conditions are restored, which is referred to as somatic memory. In some cases, stress-induced chromatin marks are meiotically heritable and can impart the memory of stress exposure from parent plants to at least the next stress-free offspring generation through the mechanisms of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance, which may offer the descendants the potential to be adaptive for better fitness. In this review, we briefly summarize recent achievements regarding the establishment, maintenance and reset of DNA methylation, and highlight the diverse roles of DNA methylation in plant responses to abiotic stresses. Further, we discuss the potential role of DNA methylation in abiotic stress-induced somatic memory and transgenerational inheritance. Future research directions are proposed to develop stress-tolerant engineered crops to reduce the negative effects of abiotic stresses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan and Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, China
| | - Zuhua He
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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22
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Luo L, Kong X, Gao Z, Zheng Y, Yang Y, Li X, Yang D, Geng Y, Yang Y. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals ecological adaption of cold tolerance in northward invasion of Alternanthera philoxeroides. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:532. [PMID: 32741374 PMCID: PMC7430914 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-06941-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alternanthera philoxeroides (alligator weed) is a highly invasive alien plant that has continuously and successfully expanded from the tropical to the temperate regions of China via asexual reproduction. During this process, the continuous decrease in temperature has been a key limiting environmental factor. RESULTS In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the cold tolerance of alligator weed via transcriptomics. The transcriptomic differences between the southernmost population and the northernmost population of China were compared at different time points of cold treatments. GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analyses showed that the alligator weed transcriptional response to cold stress is associated with genes encoding protein kinases, transcription factors, plant-pathogen interactions, plant hormone signal transduction and metabolic processes. Although members of the same gene family were often expressed in both populations, the levels of gene expression between them varied. Further ChIP experiments indicated that histone epigenetic modification changes at the candidate transcription factor gene loci are accompanied by differences in gene expression in response to cold, without variation in the coding sequences of these genes in these two populations. These results suggest that histone changes may contribute to the cold-responsive gene expression divergence between these two populations to provide the most beneficial response to chilling stimuli. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that the major alterations in gene expression levels belonging to the main cold-resistance response processes may be responsible for the divergence in the cold resistance of these two populations. During this process, histone modifications in cold-responsive genes have the potential to drive the major alterations in cold adaption necessary for the northward expansion of alligator weed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Landi Luo
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China
| | - Xiangxiang Kong
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zean Gao
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yan Zheng
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunqiang Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Xiong Li
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Danni Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yupeng Geng
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Institute of Ecology and Geobotany, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650504, China.
| | - Yongping Yang
- Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China. .,Plant Germplasm and Genomics Center, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
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23
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Guo J, Sun W, Liu H, Chi J, Odiba AS, Li G, Jin L, Xin C. Aldehyde dehydrogenase plays crucial roles in response to lower temperature stress in Solanum tuberosum and Nicotiana benthamiana. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2020; 297:110525. [PMID: 32563465 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of ALDH2B7a during the response to lower temperature in Solanum tuberosum. This gene was found to have altered intragenic DNA methylation status in our previous reports. A total of 18 orthologs of StALDH2B7a were identified in the S. tuberosum genome, which were then divided into 8 aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) subfamilies. The methylation statuses of four intragenic cytosine sites in intron 5 and exon 6 of genomic StALDH2B7a were altered by lower temperature stress, resulting in changes in the expression of StALDH2B7a. Silencing of NbALDH2C4, a homolog of StALDH2B7a in Nicotiana benthamiana, resulted in plants which were sensitive to lower temperature and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA). These data suggested that the expression of StALDH2B7a was upregulated by alteration of its intragenic cytosine methylation status during lower temperature stress, and additional StALDH2B7a enzymes scavenged excess aldehydes resulting from ROS in a response to cold stress in potato. Our study expands the understanding of the mechanisms involved in plant responses to lower temperature, and provides a new gene source to improve potato tolerance to cold stress in northern China, where lower temperature is one of the key limiting factors for crop production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiangbo Guo
- School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China
| | - Wei Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China
| | - Hanyang Liu
- School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China
| | - Junling Chi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China
| | - Arome Solomon Odiba
- National Engineering Research Center for Non-Food Biorefinery, Guangxi Academy of Sciences, 98 Daling Road, Nanning, 530007, China
| | - Guangcun Li
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Tuber and Root Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China
| | - Liping Jin
- Institute of Vegetables and Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences/Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Tuber and Root Crops, Ministry of Agriculture, Beijing, China.
| | - Cuihua Xin
- School of Life Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology, Baotou, 014010, China.
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24
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Lu H, Xue L, Cheng J, Yang X, Xie H, Song X, Qiang S. Polyploidization-driven differentiation of freezing tolerance in Solidago canadensis. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2020; 43:1394-1403. [PMID: 32092164 DOI: 10.1111/pce.13745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/16/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Solidago canadensis, originating from the temperate region of North America, has expanded southward to subtropical regions through polyploidization. Here we investigated whether freezing tolerance of S. canadensis was weakened during expansion. Measurement of the temperature causing 50% ruptured cells (LT50 ) in 35 S. canadensis populations revealed ploidy-related differentiation in freezing tolerance. Freezing tolerance was found to decrease with increasing ploidy. The polyploid populations of S. canadensis had lower ScICE1 gene expression levels but more ScICE1 gene copies than the diploids. Furthermore, more DNA methylation sites in the ScICE1 gene promoter were detected in the polyploids than in the diploids. The results suggest that promoter methylation represses the expression of multi-copy ScICE1 genes, leading to weaker freezing tolerance in polyploid S. canadensis compared to the diploids. The study provides empirical evidence that DNA methylation regulates expression of the gene copies and supports polyploidization-driven adaptation to new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Lu
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Australian Herbicide Resistance Initiative, School of Agriculture and Environment, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Lifang Xue
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiliang Cheng
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xianghong Yang
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hongjie Xie
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xiaoling Song
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Sheng Qiang
- Weed Research Laboratory, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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