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Wang C, Chen Z, Copenhaver GP, Wang Y. Heterochromatin in plant meiosis. Nucleus 2024; 15:2328719. [PMID: 38488152 PMCID: PMC10950279 DOI: 10.1080/19491034.2024.2328719] [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: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Heterochromatin is an organizational property of eukaryotic chromosomes, characterized by extensive DNA and histone modifications, that is associated with the silencing of transposable elements and repetitive sequences. Maintaining heterochromatin is crucial for ensuring genomic integrity and stability during the cell cycle. During meiosis, heterochromatin is important for homologous chromosome synapsis, recombination, and segregation, but our understanding of meiotic heterochromatin formation and condensation is limited. In this review, we focus on the dynamics and features of heterochromatin and how it condenses during meiosis in plants. We also discuss how meiotic heterochromatin influences the interaction and recombination of homologous chromosomes during prophase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cong Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Gregory P. Copenhaver
- Department of Biology and the Integrative Program for Biological and Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yingxiang Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Function and Regulation in Agricultural Organisms, College of Life Sciences, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Institute of Plant Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Guangzhou, China
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2
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Cao S, Sawettalake N, Li P, Fan S, Shen L. DNA methylation variations underlie lettuce domestication and divergence. Genome Biol 2024; 25:158. [PMID: 38886807 PMCID: PMC11184767 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03310-x] [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: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is an economically important vegetable crop worldwide. Lettuce is believed to be domesticated from a single wild ancestor Lactuca serriola and subsequently diverged into two major morphologically distinct vegetable types: leafy lettuce and stem lettuce. However, the role of epigenetic variation in lettuce domestication and divergence remains largely unknown. RESULTS To understand the genetic and epigenetic basis underlying lettuce domestication and divergence, we generate single-base resolution DNA methylomes from 52 Lactuca accessions, including major lettuce cultivars and wild relatives. We find a significant increase of DNA methylation during lettuce domestication and uncover abundant epigenetic variations associated with lettuce domestication and divergence. Interestingly, DNA methylation variations specifically associated with leafy and stem lettuce are related to regulation and metabolic processes, respectively, while those associated with both types are enriched in stress responses. Moreover, we reveal that domestication-induced DNA methylation changes could influence expression levels of nearby and distal genes possibly through affecting chromatin accessibility and chromatin loop. CONCLUSION Our study provides population epigenomic insights into crop domestication and divergence and valuable resources for further domestication for diversity and epigenetic breeding to boost crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Cao
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Nunchanoke Sawettalake
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Ping Li
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Sheng Fan
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore
| | - Lisha Shen
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, 1 Research Link, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117604, Singapore.
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117543, Singapore.
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3
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Zhang H, Gu Z, Zeng Y, Zhang Y. Mechanism of heterochromatin remodeling revealed by the DDM1 bound nucleosome structures. Structure 2024:S0969-2126(24)00190-4. [PMID: 38870940 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The SWI/SNF2 chromatin remodeling factor decreased DNA methylation 1 (DDM1) is essential for the silencing of transposable elements (TEs) in both euchromatic and heterochromatic regions. Here, we determined the cryo-EM structures of DDM1-nucleosomeH2A and DDM1-nucleosomeH2A.W complexes at near-atomic resolution in the presence of the ATP analog ADP-BeFx. The structures show that nucleosomal DNA is unwrapped more on the surface of the histone octamer containing histone H2A than that containing histone H2A.W. DDM1 embraces one DNA gyre of the nucleosome and interacts with the N-terminal tails of histone H4. Although we did not observe DDM1-H2A.W interactions in our structures, the results of the pull-down experiments suggest a direct interaction between DDM1 and the core region of histone H2A.W. Our work provides mechanistic insights into the heterochromatin remodeling process driven by DDM1 in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongwei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
| | - Zhanxi Gu
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuan Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China.
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4
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Hövel I, Bader R, Louwers M, Haring M, Peek K, Gent JI, Stam M. RNA-directed DNA methylation mutants reduce histone methylation at the paramutated maize booster1 enhancer. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 195:1161-1179. [PMID: 38366582 PMCID: PMC11142347 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Paramutation is the transfer of mitotically and meiotically heritable silencing information between two alleles. With paramutation at the maize (Zea mays) booster1 (b1) locus, the low-expressed B' epiallele heritably changes the high-expressed B-I epiallele into B' with 100% frequency. This requires specific tandem repeats and multiple components of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway, including the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (encoded by mediator of paramutation1, mop1), the second-largest subunit of RNA polymerase IV and V (NRP(D/E)2a, encoded by mop2), and the largest subunit of RNA Polymerase IV (NRPD1, encoded by mop3). Mutations in mop genes prevent paramutation and release silencing at the B' epiallele. In this study, we investigated the effect of mutations in mop1, mop2, and mop3 on chromatin structure and DNA methylation at the B' epiallele, and especially the regulatory hepta-repeat 100 kb upstream of the b1 gene. Mutations in mop1 and mop3 resulted in decreased repressive histone modifications H3K9me2 and H3K27me2 at the hepta-repeat. Associated with this decrease were partial activation of the hepta-repeat enhancer function, formation of a multi-loop structure, and elevated b1 expression. In mop2 mutants, which do not show elevated b1 expression, H3K9me2, H3K27me2 and a single-loop structure like in wild-type B' were retained. Surprisingly, high CG and CHG methylation levels at the B' hepta-repeat remained in all three mutants, and CHH methylation was low in both wild type and mutants. Our results raise the possibility of MOP factors mediating RNA-directed histone methylation rather than RNA-directed DNA methylation at the b1 locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris Hövel
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rechien Bader
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke Louwers
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- argenx BV, Industriepark Zwijnaarde 7, 9052 Zwijnaarde (Ghent), Belgium
| | - Max Haring
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- University Library, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 19185, 1000 GD Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin Peek
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jonathan I Gent
- Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Maike Stam
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Universiteit van Amsterdam, P.O. Box 1210, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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5
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Cao S, Chen ZJ. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance during plant evolution and breeding. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024:S1360-1385(24)00112-2. [PMID: 38806375 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2024.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Plants can program and reprogram their genomes to create genetic variation and epigenetic modifications, leading to phenotypic plasticity. Although consequences of genetic changes are comprehensible, the basis for transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic variation is elusive. This review addresses contributions of external (environmental) and internal (genomic) factors to the establishment and maintenance of epigenetic memory during plant evolution, crop domestication, and modern breeding. Dynamic and pervasive changes in DNA methylation and chromatin modifications provide a diverse repertoire of epigenetic variation potentially for transgenerational inheritance. Elucidating and harnessing epigenetic inheritance will help us develop innovative breeding strategies and biotechnological tools to improve crop yield and resilience in the face of environmental challenges. Beyond plants, epigenetic principles are shared across sexually reproducing organisms including humans with relevance to medicine and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Cao
- Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604, Singapore
| | - Z Jeffrey Chen
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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6
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Wang W, Zhang T, Liu C, Liu C, Jiang Z, Zhang Z, Ali S, Li Z, Wang J, Sun S, Chen Q, Zhang Q, Xie L. A DNA demethylase reduces seed size by decreasing the DNA methylation of AT-rich transposable elements in soybean. Commun Biol 2024; 7:613. [PMID: 38773248 PMCID: PMC11109123 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06306-2] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding how to increase soybean yield is crucial for global food security. The genetic and epigenetic factors influencing seed size, a major crop yield determinant, are not fully understood. We explore the role of DNA demethylase GmDMEa in soybean seed size. Our research indicates that GmDMEa negatively correlates with soybean seed size. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we edited GmDMEa in the Dongnong soybean cultivar, known for small seeds. Modified plants had larger seeds and greater yields without altering plant architecture or seed nutrition. GmDMEa preferentially demethylates AT-rich transposable elements, thus activating genes and transcription factors associated with the abscisic acid pathway, which typically decreases seed size. Chromosomal substitution lines confirm that these modifications are inheritable, suggesting a stable epigenetic method to boost seed size in future breeding. Our findings provide insights into epigenetic seed size control and suggest a strategy for improving crop yields through the epigenetic regulation of crucial genes. This work implies that targeted epigenetic modification has practical agricultural applications, potentially enhancing food production without compromising crop quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanpeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong, China
| | - Tianxu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chunyu Liu
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chunyan Liu
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhenfeng Jiang
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhaohan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shahid Ali
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Zhuozheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Jiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shanwen Sun
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Qingshan Chen
- College of Agriculture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Qingzhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
| | - Linan Xie
- Key Laboratory of Saline-alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
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7
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Song B, Yu J, Li X, Li J, Fan J, Liu H, Wei W, Zhang L, Gu K, Liu D, Zhao K, Wu J. Increased DNA methylation contributes to the early ripening of pear fruits during domestication and improvement. Genome Biol 2024; 25:87. [PMID: 38581061 PMCID: PMC10996114 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03220-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation is an essential epigenetic modification. However, its contribution to trait changes and diversity in the domestication of perennial fruit trees remains unknown. RESULTS Here, we investigate the variation in DNA methylation during pear domestication and improvement using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing in 41 pear accessions. Contrary to the significant decrease during rice domestication, we detect a global increase in DNA methylation during pear domestication and improvement. We find this specific increase in pear is significantly correlated with the downregulation of Demeter-like1 (DML1, encoding DNA demethylase) due to human selection. We identify a total of 5591 differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Methylation in the CG and CHG contexts undergoes co-evolution during pear domestication and improvement. DMRs have higher genetic diversity than selection sweep regions, especially in the introns. Approximately 97% of DMRs are not associated with any SNPs, and these DMRs are associated with starch and sucrose metabolism and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. We also perform correlation analysis between DNA methylation and gene expression. We find genes close to the hypermethylated DMRs that are significantly associated with fruit ripening. We further verify the function of a hyper-DMR-associated gene, CAMTA2, and demonstrate that overexpression of CAMTA2 in tomato and pear callus inhibits fruit ripening. CONCLUSIONS Our study describes a specific pattern of DNA methylation in the domestication and improvement of a perennial pear tree and suggests that increased DNA methylation plays an essential role in the early ripening of pear fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bobo Song
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jinshan Yu
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaolong Li
- Key Laboratory of Quality and Safety Control for Subtropical Fruit and Vegetable, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture Science, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, 311300, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaming Li
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Fan
- Institute of Fruit and Tea, Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Hainan Liu
- College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, 471023, China
| | - Weilin Wei
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Lingchao Zhang
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kaidi Gu
- College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, Shandong, 271018, China
| | - Dongliang Liu
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kejiao Zhao
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jun Wu
- College of Horticulture, State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, Jiangsu, China.
- Zhongshan Biological Breeding Laboratory, Nanjing, 210014, Jiangsu, China.
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8
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Harkess A, Bewick AJ, Lu Z, Fourounjian P, Michael TP, Schmitz RJ, Meyers BC. The unusual predominance of maintenance DNA methylation in Spirodela polyrhiza. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae004. [PMID: 38190722 PMCID: PMC10989885 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Duckweeds are among the fastest reproducing plants, able to clonally divide at exponential rates. However, the genetic and epigenetic impact of clonality on plant genomes is poorly understood. 5-methylcytosine (5mC) is a modified base often described as necessary for the proper regulation of certain genes and transposons and for the maintenance of genome integrity in plants. However, the extent of this dogma is limited by the current phylogenetic sampling of land plant species diversity. Here we analyzed DNA methylomes, small RNAs, mRNA-seq, and H3K9me2 histone modification for Spirodela polyrhiza. S. polyrhiza has lost highly conserved genes involved in de novo methylation of DNA at sites often associated with repetitive DNA, and within genes, however, symmetrical DNA methylation and heterochromatin are maintained during cell division at certain transposons and repeats. Consequently, small RNAs that normally guide methylation to silence repetitive DNA like retrotransposons are diminished. Despite the loss of a highly conserved methylation pathway, and the reduction of small RNAs that normally target repetitive DNA, transposons have not proliferated in the genome, perhaps due in part to the rapid, clonal growth lifestyle of duckweeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Harkess
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO 63132, USA
| | - Adam J Bewick
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Zefu Lu
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Paul Fourounjian
- Waksman Institute of Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Todd P Michael
- Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Robert J Schmitz
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Blake C Meyers
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO 63132, USA
- Division of Plant Sciences, University of Missouri—Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
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9
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Liu J, Zhong X. Population epigenetics: DNA methylation in the plant omics era. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:2039-2048. [PMID: 38366882 PMCID: PMC10980424 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation plays an important role in many biological processes. The mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of DNA methylation are well understood thanks to decades of research using DNA methylation mutants, primarily in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accession Col-0. Recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) using the methylomes of natural accessions have uncovered a complex and distinct genetic basis of variation in DNA methylation at the population level. Sequencing following bisulfite treatment has served as an excellent method for quantifying DNA methylation. Unlike studies focusing on specific accessions with reference genomes, population-scale methylome research often requires an additional round of sequencing beyond obtaining genome assemblies or genetic variations from whole-genome sequencing data, which can be cost prohibitive. Here, we provide an overview of recently developed bisulfite-free methods for quantifying methylation and cost-effective approaches for the simultaneous detection of genetic and epigenetic information. We also discuss the plasticity of DNA methylation in a specific Arabidopsis accession, the contribution of DNA methylation to plant adaptation, and the genetic determinants of variation in DNA methylation in natural populations. The recently developed technology and knowledge will greatly benefit future studies in population epigenomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Xuehua Zhong
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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10
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Xu D, Zeng L, Wang L, Yang DL. Rice requires a chromatin remodeler for Polymerase IV-small interfering RNA production and genomic immunity. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:2149-2164. [PMID: 37992039 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Transgenes are often spontaneously silenced, which hinders the application of genetic modifications to crop breeding. While gene silencing has been extensively studied in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), the molecular mechanism of transgene silencing remains elusive in crop plants. We used rice (Oryza sativa) plants silenced for a 35S::OsGA2ox1 (Gibberellin 2-oxidase 1) transgene to isolate five elements mountain (fem) mutants showing restoration of transgene expression. In this study, we isolated multiple fem2 mutants defective in a homolog of Required to Maintain Repression 1 (RMR1) of maize (Zea mays) and CLASSY (CLSY) of Arabidopsis. In addition to failing to maintain transgene silencing, as occurs in fem3, in which mutation occurs in NUCLEAR RNA POLYMERASE E1 (OsNRPE1), the fem2 mutant failed to establish transgene silencing of 35S::OsGA2ox1. Mutation in FEM2 eliminated all RNA POLYMERASE IV (Pol-IV)-FEM1/OsRDR2 (RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE 2)-dependent small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), reduced DNA methylation on genome-wide scale in rice seedlings, caused pleiotropic developmental defects, and increased disease resistance. Simultaneous mutation in 2 FEM2 homologous genes, FEM2-Like 1 (FEL1) and FEL2, however, did not affect DNA methylation and rice development and disease resistance. The predominant expression of FEM2 over FEL1 and FEL2 in various tissues was likely caused by epigenetic states. Overexpression of FEL1 but not FEL2 partially rescued hypomethylation of fem2, indicating that FEL1 maintains the cryptic function. In summary, FEM2 is essential for establishing and maintaining gene silencing; moreover, FEM2 is solely required for Pol IV-FEM1 siRNA biosynthesis and de novo DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dachao Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Longjun Zeng
- Institute of Crop Sciences, Yichun Academy of Sciences, Yichun, 336000 Jiangxi, China
| | - Lili Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dong-Lei Yang
- National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics & Germplasm Enhancement and Utilization, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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11
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Luo JH, Guo T, Wang M, Liu JH, Zheng LM, He Y. RNA m6A modification facilitates DNA methylation during maize kernel development. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 194:2165-2182. [PMID: 37995374 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
N6-methyladenosine (m6A) in mRNA and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) in DNA have critical functions for regulating gene expression and modulating plant growth and development. However, the interplay between m6A and 5mC is an elusive territory and remains unclear mechanistically in plants. We reported an occurrence of crosstalk between m6A and 5mC in maize (Zea mays) via the interaction between mRNA adenosine methylase (ZmMTA), the core component of the m6A methyltransferase complex, and decrease in DNA methylation 1 (ZmDDM1), a key chromatin-remodeling factor that regulates DNA methylation. Genes with m6A modification were coordinated with a much higher level of DNA methylation than genes without m6A modification. Dysfunction of ZmMTA caused severe arrest during maize embryogenesis and endosperm development, leading to a significant decrease in CHH methylation in the 5' region of m6A-modified genes. Instead, loss of function of ZmDDM1 had no noteworthy effects on ZmMTA-related activity. This study establishes a direct link between m6A and 5mC during maize kernel development and provides insights into the interplay between RNA modification and DNA methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Hong Luo
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ting Guo
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Min Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jing-Han Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei-Ming Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yan He
- Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Crop Heterosis and Utilization, National Maize Improvement Center of China, College of Agronomy and Biotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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12
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Zhong S, Zhu H, Li W, Wu D, Miao Y, Dong B, Wang Y, Xiao Z, Fang Q, Deng J, Zhao H. DNA methylome analysis reveals novel insights into active hypomethylated regulatory mechanisms of temperature-dependent flower opening in Osmanthus fragrans. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2024; 11:uhae010. [PMID: 38464472 PMCID: PMC10923647 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Short-term ambient low temperature (ALT) stimulation is necessary for Osmanthus fragrans to facilitate continued flower opening after floral bud development reaches maturity. DNA methylation, a vital epigenetic modification, regulates various biological processes in response to temperature fluctuations. However, its role in temperature-driven flower opening remains elusive. In this study, we identified the pivotal timeframe during which O. fragrans promptly detected temperature cues. Using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, we explored global DNA hypomethylation during this phase, with the most significant changes occurring in CHH sequence contexts. Auxin transport inhibitor (TIBA) application revealed that ALT-induced endogenous auxin accumulation promoted peduncle elongation. In our mRNA-seq analysis, we discovered that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with hypo-differentially methylated regions (hypo-DMRs) were mainly enriched in auxin and temperature response, RNA processing, and carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Transcripts of three DNA demethylase genes (OfROS1a, OfDML3, OfDME) showed upregulation. Furthermore, all DNA methylase genes, except OfCMT2b, also displayed increased expression, specifically with two of them, OfCMT3a and OfCMT1, being associated with hypo-DMRs. Promoter assays showed that OfROS1a, with promoters containing low-temperature- and auxin-responsive elements, were activated by ALT and exogenous IAA at low concentrations but inhibited at high concentrations. Overexpression of OfROS1 reduced endogenous auxin levels but enhanced the expression of genes related to auxin response and spliceosome in petunia. Furthermore, OfROS1 promoted sucrose synthesis in petunia corollas. Our data characterized the rapid response of active DNA hypomethylation to ALT and suggested a possible epiregulation of temperature-dependent flower opening in O. fragrans. This study revealed the pivotal role of DNA hypomethylation in O. fragrans during the ALT-responsive phase before flower opening, involving dynamic DNA demethylation, auxin signaling modulation, and a potential feedback loop between hypomethylation and methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiwei Zhong
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Garden Plants, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Southern Garden Plants, School of Landscape and Architecture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
| | - Huijun Zhu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Garden Plants, Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Germplasm Innovation and Utilization for Southern Garden Plants, School of Landscape and Architecture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
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13
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Roelfs KU, Känel A, Twyman RM, Prüfer D, Schulze Gronover C. Epigenetic variation in early and late flowering plants of the rubber-producing Russian dandelion Taraxacum koksaghyz provides insights into the regulation of flowering time. Sci Rep 2024; 14:4283. [PMID: 38383610 PMCID: PMC10881582 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-54862-8] [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: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The Russian dandelion (Taraxacum koksaghyz) grows in temperate zones and produces large amounts of poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) in its roots, making it an attractive alternative source of natural rubber. Most T. koksaghyz plants require vernalization to trigger flower development, whereas early flowering varieties that have lost their vernalization dependence are more suitable for breeding and domestication. To provide insight into the regulation of flowering time in T. koksaghyz, we induced epigenetic variation by in vitro cultivation and applied epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis to the resulting early flowering plants and late flowering controls, allowing us to identify differences in methylation patterns and gene expression that correlated with flowering. This led to the identification of candidate genes homologous to vernalization and photoperiodism response genes in other plants, as well as epigenetic modifications that may contribute to the control of flower development. Some of the candidate genes were homologous to known floral regulators, including those that directly or indirectly regulate the major flowering control gene FT. Our atlas of genes can be used as a starting point to investigate mechanisms that control flowering time in T. koksaghyz in greater detail and to develop new breeding varieties that are more suited to domestication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai-Uwe Roelfs
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Andrea Känel
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48143, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Dirk Prüfer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, 48149, Münster, Germany
- Institute of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, University of Münster, 48143, Münster, Germany
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14
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Fernandes JB, Naish M, Lian Q, Burns R, Tock AJ, Rabanal FA, Wlodzimierz P, Habring A, Nicholas RE, Weigel D, Mercier R, Henderson IR. Structural variation and DNA methylation shape the centromere-proximal meiotic crossover landscape in Arabidopsis. Genome Biol 2024; 25:30. [PMID: 38254210 PMCID: PMC10804481 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03163-4] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Centromeres load kinetochore complexes onto chromosomes, which mediate spindle attachment and allow segregation during cell division. Although centromeres perform a conserved cellular function, their underlying DNA sequences are highly divergent within and between species. Despite variability in DNA sequence, centromeres are also universally suppressed for meiotic crossover recombination, across eukaryotes. However, the genetic and epigenetic factors responsible for suppression of centromeric crossovers remain to be completely defined. RESULTS To explore the centromere-proximal meiotic recombination landscape, we map 14,397 crossovers against fully assembled Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) genomes. A. thaliana centromeres comprise megabase satellite repeat arrays that load nucleosomes containing the CENH3 histone variant. Each chromosome contains a structurally polymorphic region of ~3-4 megabases, which lack crossovers and include the satellite arrays. This polymorphic region is flanked by ~1-2 megabase low-recombination zones. These recombination-suppressed regions are enriched for Gypsy/Ty3 retrotransposons, and additionally contain expressed genes with high genetic diversity that initiate meiotic recombination, yet do not crossover. We map crossovers at high-resolution in proximity to CEN3, which resolves punctate centromere-proximal hotspots that overlap gene islands embedded in heterochromatin. Centromeres are densely DNA methylated and the recombination landscape is remodelled in DNA methylation mutants. We observe that the centromeric low-recombining zones decrease and increase crossovers in CG (met1) and non-CG (cmt3) mutants, respectively, whereas the core non-recombining zones remain suppressed. CONCLUSION Our work relates the genetic and epigenetic organization of A. thaliana centromeres and flanking pericentromeric heterochromatin to the zones of crossover suppression that surround the CENH3-occupied satellite repeat arrays.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joiselle B Fernandes
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, D-50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Matthew Naish
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Qichao Lian
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, D-50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Robin Burns
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Andrew J Tock
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Fernando A Rabanal
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Piotr Wlodzimierz
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Anette Habring
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Robert E Nicholas
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany
- University of Tübingen, Institute for Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics, D-72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Raphael Mercier
- Department of Chromosome Biology, Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, D-50829, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK.
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15
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Cong W, Li N, Miao Y, Huang Y, Zhao W, Kang Y, Zhang B, Wang J, Zhang J, Lv Y, Li J, Zhang J, Gong L, Liu B, Ou X. DNA hypomethylation-associated transcriptional rewiring enables resistance to heavy metal mercury (Hg) stress in rice. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 461:132649. [PMID: 37783144 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.132649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is an important hazardous pollutant that can cause phytotoxicity and harm human health through the food chain. Recently, rice (Oryza sativa L.) has been confirmed as a potential Hg bioaccumulator. Although the genetic and molecular mechanisms involved in heavy metal absorption and translocation in rice have been investigated for several heavy metals, Hg is largely neglected. Here, we analyzed one Hg-resistant line in rice (RHg) derived from a DNA methyltransferase-coding gene, OsMET1-2 heterozygous mutant. Compared with its isogenic wild-type (WT), RHg exhibited a significantly higher survival rate after Hg treatment, ameliorated oxidative damage, and lower Hg uptake and translocation. RNAseq-based comparative transcriptomic analysis identified 34 potential Hg resistance-related genes involved in phytohormone signaling, abiotic stress response, and zinc (Zn) transport. Importantly, the elevated expression of Hg resistance-related genes in RHg was highly correlated with DNA hypomethylation in their putative promoter regions. An ionomic analysis unraveled a negative correlation between Zn and Hg in roots. Moreover, Hg concentration was effectively decreased by exogenous application of Zn in Hg-stressed rice plants. Our findings indicate an epigenetic basis of Hg resistance and reveal an antagonistic relationship between Hg and Zn, providing new hints towards Hg detoxification in plants. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Mercury (Hg) as an important hazardous pollutant adversely impacts the environment and jeopardizes human health, due to its chronicity, transferability, persistence, bioaccumulation and toxicity. In this paper, we identified 34 potential genes that may significantly contribute to Hg resistance in rice. We find the expression of Hg resistance-related genes was highly correlated with DNA hypomethylation in their putative promoter regions. Our results also revealed an antagonistic relationship between Hg and Zinc (Zn), providing new hints towards Hg detoxification in plants. Together, findings of this study extend our current understanding of Hg tolerance in rice and are informative to breed seed non-accumulating rice cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weixuan Cong
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China; Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Ning Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yiling Miao
- Jilin Province Engineering Laboratory of Plant Genetic Improvement, College of Plant Science, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China
| | - Yuxi Huang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Wenhao Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Ying Kang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Bingqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jinbin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Yinhe Lv
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jiamo Li
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- Faculty of Agronomy, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Lei Gong
- 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.
| | - Xiufang Ou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Epigenetics of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China.
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16
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Liu S, He M, Lin X, Kong F. Epigenetic regulation of photoperiodic flowering in plants. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20320. [PMID: 37013370 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In response to changeable season, plants precisely control the initiation of flowering in appropriate time of the year to ensure reproductive success. Day length (photoperiod) acts as the most important external cue to determine flowering time. Epigenetics regulates many major developmental stages in plant life, and emerging molecular genetics and genomics researches reveal their essential roles in floral transition. Here, we summarize the recent advances in epigenetic regulation of photoperiod-mediated flowering in Arabidopsis and rice, and discuss the potential of epigenetic regulation in crops improvement, and give the brief prospect for future study trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuangrong Liu
- Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Milan He
- Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoya Lin
- Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fanjiang Kong
- Innovative Center of Molecular Genetics and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou, China
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17
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Chen J, Lu J, Liu J, Fang J, Zhong X, Song J. DNA conformational dynamics in the context-dependent non-CG CHH methylation by plant methyltransferase DRM2. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105433. [PMID: 37926286 PMCID: PMC10711165 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105433] [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: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation provides an important epigenetic mechanism that critically regulates gene expression, genome imprinting, and retrotransposon silencing. In plants, DNA methylation is prevalent not only in a CG dinucleotide context but also in non-CG contexts, namely CHG and CHH (H = C, T, or A) methylation. It has been established that plant non-CG DNA methylation is highly context dependent, with the +1- and +2-flanking sequences enriched with A/T nucleotides. How DNA sequence, conformation, and dynamics influence non-CG methylation remains elusive. Here, we report structural and biochemical characterizations of the intrinsic substrate preference of DOMAINS REARRANGED METHYLTRANSFERASE 2 (DRM2), a plant DNA methyltransferase responsible for establishing all cytosine methylation and maintaining CHH methylation. Among nine CHH motifs, the DRM2 methyltransferase (MTase) domain shows marked substrate preference toward CWW (W = A or T) motifs, correlating well with their relative abundance in planta. Furthermore, we report the crystal structure of DRM2 MTase in complex with a DNA duplex containing a flexible TpA base step at the +1/+2-flanking sites of the target nucleotide. Comparative structural analysis of the DRM2-DNA complexes provides a mechanism by which flanking nucleotide composition impacts DRM2-mediated DNA methylation. Furthermore, the flexibility of the TpA step gives rise to two alternative DNA conformations, resulting in different interactions with DRM2 and consequently temperature-dependent shift of the substrate preference of DRM2. Together, this study provides insights into how the interplay between the conformational dynamics of DNA and temperature as an environmental factor contributes to the context-dependent CHH methylation by DRM2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbin Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Jiuwei Lu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jian Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Xuehua Zhong
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, California, USA.
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18
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Bonnet DMV, Tirot L, Grob S, Jullien PE. Methylome Response to Proteasome Inhibition by Pseudomonas syringae Virulence Factor Syringolin A. MOLECULAR PLANT-MICROBE INTERACTIONS : MPMI 2023; 36:693-704. [PMID: 37414416 DOI: 10.1094/mpmi-06-23-0080-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark required for proper gene expression and silencing of transposable elements. DNA methylation patterns can be modified by environmental factors such as pathogen infection, in which modification of DNA methylation can be associated with plant resistance. To counter the plant defense pathways, pathogens produce effector molecules, several of which act as proteasome inhibitors. Here, we investigated the effect of proteasome inhibition by the bacterial virulence factor syringolin A (SylA) on genome-wide DNA methylation. We show that SylA treatment results in an increase of DNA methylation at centromeric and pericentromeric regions of Arabidopsis chromosomes. We identify several CHH differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that are enriched in the proximity of transcriptional start sites. SylA treatment does not result in significant changes in small RNA composition. However, significant changes in genome transcriptional activity can be observed, including a strong upregulation of resistance genes that are located on chromosomal arms. We hypothesize that DNA methylation changes could be linked to the upregulation of some atypical members of the de novo DNA methylation pathway, namely AGO3, AGO9, and DRM1. Our data suggests that modification of genome-wide DNA methylation resulting from an inhibition of the proteasome by bacterial effectors could be part of an epi-genomic arms race against pathogens. [Formula: see text] Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Louis Tirot
- Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Grob
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich and Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Majka M, Janáková E, Jakobson I, Järve K, Cápal P, Korchanová Z, Lampar A, Juračka J, Valárik M. The chromatin determinants and Ph1 gene effect at wheat sites with contrasting recombination frequency. J Adv Res 2023; 53:75-85. [PMID: 36632886 PMCID: PMC10658417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2023.01.002] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Meiotic recombination is one of the most important processes of evolution and adaptation to environmental conditions. Even though there is substantial knowledge about proteins involved in the process, targeting specific DNA loci by the recombination machinery is not well understood. OBJECTIVES This study aims to investigate a wheat recombination hotspot (H1) in comparison with a "regular" recombination site (Rec7) on the sequence and epigenetic level in conditions with functional and non-functional Ph1 locus. METHODS The DNA sequence, methylation pattern, and recombination frequency were analyzed for the H1 and Rec7 in three mapping populations derived by crossing introgressive wheat line 8.1 with cv. Chinese Spring (with Ph1 and ph1 alleles) and cv. Tähti. RESULTS The H1 and Rec7 loci are 1.586 kb and 2.538 kb long, respectively. High-density mapping allowed to delimit the Rec7 and H1 to 19 and 574 bp and 593 and 571 bp CO sites, respectively. A new method (ddPing) allowed screening recombination frequency in almost 66 thousand gametes. The screening revealed a 5.94-fold higher recombination frequency at the H1 compared to the Rec7. The H1 was also found out of the Ph1 control, similarly as gamete distortion. The recombination was strongly affected by larger genomic rearrangements but not by the SNP proximity. Moreover, chromatin markers for open chromatin and DNA hypomethylation were found associated with crossover occurrence except for the CHH methylation. CONCLUSION Our results, for the first time, allowed study of wheat recombination directly on sequence, shed new light on chromatin landmarks associated with particular recombination sites, and deepened knowledge about role of the Ph1 locus in control of wheat recombination processes. The results are suggesting more than one recombination control pathway. Understanding this phenomenon may become a base for more efficient wheat genome manipulation, gene pool enrichment, breeding, and study processes of recombination itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Majka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic; Polish Academy of Sciences, Institute of Plant Genetics, Strzeszyńska 34, Poznań 60-479, Poland
| | - Eva Janáková
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Irena Jakobson
- Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 19086, Estonia
| | - Kadri Järve
- Tallinn University of Technology, Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Akadeemia tee 15, Tallinn 19086, Estonia
| | - Petr Cápal
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Korchanová
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Lampar
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic; Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Jakub Juračka
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic; Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic; Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, 17. listopadu 1192/12, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Valárik
- Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Academy of Sciences, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Šlechtitelů 31, Olomouc 779 00, Czech Republic.
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20
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Zhang Y, Huang D, Miao Y. Epigenetic control of plant senescence and cell death and its application in crop improvement. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1258487. [PMID: 37965008 PMCID: PMC10642554 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1258487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023]
Abstract
Plant senescence is the last stage of plant development and a type of programmed cell death, occurring at a predictable time and cell. It involves the functional conversion from nutrient assimilation to nutrient remobilization, which substantially impacts plant architecture and plant biomass, crop quality, and horticultural ornamental traits. In past two decades, DNA damage was believed to be a main reason for cell senescence. Increasing evidence suggests that the alteration of epigenetic information is a contributing factor to cell senescence in organisms. In this review, we summarize the current research progresses of epigenetic and epitranscriptional mechanism involved in cell senescence of plant, at the regulatory level of DNA methylation, histone methylation and acetylation, chromatin remodeling, non-coding RNAs and RNA methylation. Furthermore, we discuss their molecular genetic manipulation and potential application in agriculture for crop improvement. Finally we point out the prospects of future research topics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Dongmei Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China
| | - Ying Miao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Biology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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21
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Zhang(张宇鹏) Y, Fan G, Toivainen T, Tengs T, Yakovlev I, Krokene P, Hytönen T, Fossdal CG, Grini PE. Warmer temperature during asexual reproduction induce methylome, transcriptomic, and lasting phenotypic changes in Fragaria vesca ecotypes. HORTICULTURE RESEARCH 2023; 10:uhad156. [PMID: 37719273 PMCID: PMC10500154 DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhad156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
Plants must adapt with increasing speed to global warming to maintain their fitness. One rapid adaptation mechanism is epigenetic memory, which may provide organisms sufficient time to adapt to climate change. We studied how the perennial Fragaria vesca adapted to warmer temperatures (28°C vs. 18°C) over three asexual generations. Differences in flowering time, stolon number, and petiole length were induced by warmer temperature in one or more ecotypes after three asexual generations and persisted in a common garden environment. Induced methylome changes differed between the four ecotypes from Norway, Iceland, Italy, and Spain, but shared methylome responses were also identified. Most differentially methylated regions (DMRs) occurred in the CHG context, and most CHG and CHH DMRs were hypermethylated at the warmer temperature. In eight CHG DMR peaks, a highly similar methylation pattern could be observed between ecotypes. On average, 13% of the differentially methylated genes between ecotypes also showed a temperature-induced change in gene expression. We observed ecotype-specific methylation and expression patterns for genes related to gibberellin metabolism, flowering time, and epigenetic mechanisms. Furthermore, we observed a negative correlation with gene expression when repetitive elements were found near (±2 kb) or inside genes. In conclusion, lasting phenotypic changes indicative of an epigenetic memory were induced by warmer temperature and were accompanied by changes in DNA methylation patterns. Both shared methylation patterns and transcriptome differences between F. vesca accessions were observed, indicating that DNA methylation may be involved in both general and ecotype-specific phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- YuPeng Zhang(张宇鹏)
- EVOGENE, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0313 Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Guangxun Fan
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tuomas Toivainen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Torstein Tengs
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Igor Yakovlev
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Paal Krokene
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Timo Hytönen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Carl Gunnar Fossdal
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, 1431 Ås, Norway
| | - Paul E. Grini
- EVOGENE, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0313 Oslo, Norway
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22
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Zhang Y, Toivainen T, Mackenzie K, Yakovlev I, Krokene P, Hytönen T, Grini PE, Fossdal CG. Methylome, transcriptome, and phenotype changes induced by temperature conditions experienced during sexual reproduction in Fragaria vesca. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2023; 175:e13963. [PMID: 37340851 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Temperature conditions experienced during embryogenesis and seed development may induce epigenetic changes that increase phenotypic variation in plants. Here we investigate if embryogenesis and seed development at two different temperatures (28 vs. 18°C) result in lasting phenotypic effects and DNA methylation changes in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca). Using five European ecotypes from Spain (ES12), Iceland (ICE2), Italy (IT4), and Norway (NOR2 and NOR29), we found statistically significant differences between plants from seeds produced at 18 or 28°C in three of four phenotypic features investigated under common garden conditions. This indicates the establishment of a temperature-induced epigenetic memory-like response during embryogenesis and seed development. The memory effect was significant in two ecotypes: in NOR2 flowering time, number of growth points and petiole length were affected, and in ES12 number of growth points was affected. This indicates that genetic differences between ecotypes in their epigenetic machinery, or other allelic differences, impact this type of plasticity. We observed statistically significant differences between ecotypes in DNA methylation marks in repetitive elements, pseudogenes, and genic elements. Leaf transcriptomes were also affected by embryonic temperature in an ecotype-specific manner. Although we observed significant and lasting phenotypic change in at least some ecotypes, there was considerable variation in DNA methylation between individual plants within each temperature treatment. This within-treatment variability in DNA methylation marks in F. vesca progeny may partly be a result of allelic redistribution from recombination during meiosis and subsequent epigenetic reprogramming during embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupeng Zhang
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
- EVOGENE, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Tuomas Toivainen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kathryn Mackenzie
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Igor Yakovlev
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Paal Krokene
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
| | - Timo Hytönen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paul E Grini
- EVOGENE, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Carl Gunnar Fossdal
- Department of Molecular Plant Biology, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research, Ås, Norway
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23
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Ortiz-Vasquez Q, León-Martínez G, Barragán-Rosillo C, González-Orozco E, Deans S, Aldridge B, Vickers M, Feng X, Vielle-Calzada JP. Genomic methylation patterns in pre-meiotic gynoecia of wild-type and RdDM mutants of Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1123211. [PMID: 36993852 PMCID: PMC10040562 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1123211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Although DNA methylation patterns are generally considered to be faithfully inherited in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis), there is evidence of reprogramming during both male and female gametogenesis. The gynoecium is the floral reproductive organ from which the ovules develop and generate meiotically derived cells that give rise to the female gametophyte. It is not known whether the gynoecium can condition genomic methylation in the ovule or the developing female gametophyte. METHODS We performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing to characterize the methylation patterns that prevail in the genomic DNA of pre-meiotic gynoecia of wild-type and three mutants defective in genes of the RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway (RdDM): ARGONAUTE4 (AGO4), ARGONAUTE9 (AGO9), and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE6 (RDR6). RESULTS By globally analyzing transposable elements (TEs) and genes located across the Arabidopsis genome, we show that DNA methylation levels are similar to those of gametophytic cells rather than those of sporophytic organs such as seedlings and rosette leaves. We show that none of the mutations completely abolishes RdDM, suggesting strong redundancy within the methylation pathways. Among all, ago4 mutation has the strongest effect on RdDM, causing more CHH hypomethylation than ago9 and rdr6. We identify 22 genes whose DNA methylation is significantly reduced in ago4, ago9 and rdr6 mutants, revealing potential targets regulated by the RdDM pathway in premeiotic gyneocia. DISCUSSION Our results indicate that drastic changes in methylation levels in all three contexts occur in female reproductive organs at the sporophytic level, prior to the alternation of generations within the ovule primordium, offering a possibility to start identifying the function of specific genes acting in the establishment of the female gametophytic phase of the Arabidopsis life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quetzely Ortiz-Vasquez
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Gloria León-Martínez
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Carlos Barragán-Rosillo
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Eduardo González-Orozco
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Samuel Deans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Billy Aldridge
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Martin Vickers
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaoqi Feng
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom
| | - Jean-Philippe Vielle-Calzada
- Grupo de Desarrollo Reproductivo y Apomixis, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada Laboratorio Nacional de Genómica para la Biodiversidad, CINVESTAV, Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
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24
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Ooi SE, Sarpan N, Taranenko E, Feshah I, Nuraziyan A, Roowi SH, Burhan MN, Jayanthi N, Rahmah ARS, Teh OK, Ong-Abdullah M, Tatarinova TV. Small RNAs and Karma methylation in Elaeis guineensis mother palms are linked to high clonal mantling. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2023; 111:345-363. [PMID: 36609897 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-022-01330-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The mantled phenotype is an abnormal somaclonal variant arising from the oil palm cloning process and severe phenotypes lead to oil yield losses. Hypomethylation of the Karma retrotransposon within the B-type MADS-box EgDEF1 gene has been associated with this phenotype. While abnormal Karma-EgDEF1 hypomethylation was detected in mantled clones, we examined the methylation state of Karma in ortets that gave rise to high mantling rates in their clones. Small RNAs (sRNAs) were proposed to play a role in Karma hypomethylation as part of the RNA-directed DNA methylation process, hence differential expression analysis of sRNAs between the ortet groups was conducted. While no sRNA was differentially expressed at the Karma-EgDEF1 region, three sRNA clusters were differentially regulated in high-mantling ortets. The first two down-regulated clusters were possibly derived from long non-coding RNAs while the third up-regulated cluster was derived from the intron of a DnaJ chaperone gene. Several predicted mRNA targets for the first two sRNA clusters conversely displayed increased expression in high-mantling relative to low-mantling ortets. These predicted mRNA targets may be associated with defense or pathogenesis response. In addition, several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified in Karma and its surrounding regions, mainly comprising subtle CHH hypomethylation in high-mantling ortets. Four of the 12 DMRs were located in a region corresponding to hypomethylated areas at the 3'end of Karma previously reported in mantled clones. Further investigations on these sRNAs and DMRs may indicate the predisposition of certain ortets towards mantled somaclonal variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siew-Eng Ooi
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Norashikin Sarpan
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Elizaveta Taranenko
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, La Verne, CA, USA
- Laboratory of Forest Genomics, Genome Research and Education Center, Institute of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 660036
| | - Ishak Feshah
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Azimi Nuraziyan
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | | | - Nagappan Jayanthi
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Rahman Siti Rahmah
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ooi-Kock Teh
- Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, 128 Sec. 2, Academia Rd., Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Meilina Ong-Abdullah
- Malaysian Palm Oil Board, 6 Persiaran Institusi, Bandar Baru Bangi, 43000, Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | - Tatiana V Tatarinova
- Department of Biology, University of La Verne, La Verne, CA, USA.
- Laboratory of Forest Genomics, Genome Research and Education Center, Institute of Fundamental Biology and Biotechnology, Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia, 660036.
- Vavilov Institute for General Genetics, Moscow, Russia.
- A.A. Kharkevich Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia.
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25
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Ibañez VN, van Antro M, Peña-Ponton C, Milanovic-Ivanovic S, Wagemaker CAM, Gawehns F, Verhoeven KJF. Environmental and genealogical effects on DNA methylation in a widespread apomictic dandelion lineage. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:663-674. [PMID: 36810811 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation in plant genomes occurs in different sequences and genomic contexts that have very different properties. DNA methylation that occurs in CG (mCG) sequence context shows transgenerational stability and high epimutation rate, and can thus provide genealogical information at short time scales. However, due to meta-stability and because mCG variants may arise due to other factors than epimutation, such as environmental stress exposure, it is not clear how well mCG captures genealogical information at micro-evolutionary time scales. Here, we analysed DNA methylation variation between accessions from a geographically widespread, apomictic common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) lineage when grown experimentally under different light conditions. Using a reduced-representation bisulphite sequencing approach, we show that the light treatment induced differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in all sequence contexts, with a bias towards transposable elements. Accession differences were associated mainly with DMCs in CG context. Hierarchical clustering of samples based on total mCG profiles revealed a perfect clustering of samples by accession identity, irrespective of light conditions. Using microsatellite information as a benchmark of genetic divergence within the clonal lineage, we show that genetic divergence between accessions correlates strongly with overall mCG profiles. However, our results suggest that environmental effects that do occur in CG context may produce a heritable signal that partly dilutes the genealogical signal. Our study shows that methylation information in plants can be used to reconstruct micro-evolutionary genealogy, providing a useful tool in systems that lack genetic variation such as clonal and vegetatively propagated plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Noé Ibañez
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Université Paris Diderot, Gif sur Yvette, France.,Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane van Antro
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cristian Peña-Ponton
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Slavica Milanovic-Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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26
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Li T, Wang H, Zhang Y, Wang H, Zhang Z, Liu X, Zhang Z, Liu K, Yang D, Zhang H, Gu L. Comprehensive profiling of epigenetic modifications in fast-growing Moso bamboo shoots. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:1017-1035. [PMID: 36417282 PMCID: PMC9922427 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The fast growth of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) shoots is caused by the rapid elongation of each internode. However, the key underlying cellular processes and epigenetic mechanisms remain largely unexplored. We used microscopy and multi-omics approaches to investigate two regions (bottom and middle) of the 18th internode from shoots of two different heights (2 and 4 m). We observed that internode cells become longer, and that lignin biosynthesis and glycosyltransferase family 43 (GT43) genes are substantially upregulated with shoot height. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing (DRS) revealed a higher N6-methyladenine (m6A) modification rate in 2-m shoots than in 4-m shoots. In addition, different specific m6A modification sites were enriched at different growth stages. Global DNA methylation profiling indicated that DNA methylation levels are higher in 4-m shoots than in 2-m shoots. We also detected shorter poly(A) tail lengths (PALs) in 4-m shoots compared with 2-m shoots. Genes showing differential PAL were mainly enriched in the functional terms of protein translation and vesicle fusion. An association analysis between PALs and DNA methylation strongly suggested that gene body CG methylation levels are positively associated with PAL. This study provides valuable information to better understand post-transcriptional regulations responsible for fast-growing shoots in Moso bamboo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Li
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Yaxin Zhang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Huiyuan Wang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zeyu Zhang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Xuqing Liu
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Zekun Zhang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Kai Liu
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Deming Yang
- College of Forestry, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Hangxiao Zhang
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, College of Forestry, School of Future Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Lianfeng Gu
- Basic Forestry and Proteomics Research Center, College of Forestry, School of Future Technology, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
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27
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Kang D, Khan MA, Song P, Liu Y, Wu Y, Ai P, Li Z, Wang Z. Comparative analysis of the chrysanthemum transcriptome with DNA methylation inhibitors treatment and silencing MET1 lines. BMC PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 23:47. [PMID: 36670371 PMCID: PMC9862865 DOI: 10.1186/s12870-023-04036-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND As one of the ten most famous flowers in China, the chrysanthemum has rich germplasm with a variety of flowering induction pathways, most of which are photoperiod-induced. After treatment with DNA methylation inhibitors, it was found that DNA methylation plays an important role in flowering regulation, but the mechanism of action remains unclear. Therefore, in this study, curcumin, 5-azaC, their mixed treatment, and MET1-RNAi lines were used for transcriptome sequencing to find out how different treatments affected gene expression in chrysanthemums at different stages of flowering. RESULTS Genomic DNA methylation levels were measured using HPLC technology. The methylation level of the whole genome in the vegetative growth stage was higher than that in the flowering stage. The methylation level of DNA in the vegetative growth stage was the lowest in the curcumin and mixed treatment, and the methylation level of DNA in the transgenic line, mixed treatment, and curcumin treatment was the lowest in the flowering stage. The flowering rate of mixed treatment and curcumin treatment was the lowest. Analysis of differentially expressed genes in transcriptomes showed that 5-azaC treatment had the most differentially expressed genes, followed by curcumin and transgenic lines, and mixed treatment had the fewest. In addition, 5-azaC treatment resulted in the differential expression of multiple DNA methylation transferases, which led to the differential expression of many genes. Analysis of differentially expressed genes in different treatments revealed that different treatments had gene specificity. However, the down-regulated GO pathway in all 4 treatments was involved in the negative regulation of the reproductive process, and post-embryonic development, and regulation of flower development. Several genes associated with DNA methylation and flowering regulation showed differential expression in response to various treatments. CONCLUSIONS Both DNA methylase reagent treatment and targeted silencing of the MET1 gene can cause differential expression of the genes. The operation of the exogenous application is simple, but the affected genes are exceedingly diverse and untargeted. Therefore, it is possible to construct populations with DNA methylation phenotypic diversity and to screen genes for DNA methylation regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongru Kang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Muhammad Ayoub Khan
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Pan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Yvru Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Yifei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Penghui Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Zhongai Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
| | - Zicheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Adaptation and Improvement, Plant Germplasm Resources and Genetic Laboratory, Kaifeng Key Laboratory of Chrysanthemum Biology, School of Life Sciences, Henan University. Jinming Road, Kaifeng, 475004 Henan China
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28
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Lee J, Shin SY, Lee SK, Park K, Gill H, Hyun Y, Jeong C, Jeon JS, Shin C, Choi Y. Contribution of RdDM to the ecotype-specific differential methylation on conserved as well as highly variable regions between Arabidopsis ecotypes. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:36. [PMID: 36658480 PMCID: PMC9854041 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09128-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several studies showed genome-wide DNA methylation during Arabidopsis embryogenesis and germination. Although it has been known that the change of DNA methylation mainly occurs at CHH context mediated by small RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway during seed ripening and germination, the causality of the methylation difference exhibited in natural Arabidopsis ecotypes has not been thoroughly studied. RESULTS In this study we compared DNA methylation difference using comparative pairwise multi-omics dynamics in Columbia-0 (Col) and Cape Verde Island (Cvi) ecotypes. Arabidopsis genome was divided into two regions, common regions in both ecotypes and Col-specific regions, depending on the reads mapping of whole genome bisulfite sequencing libraries from both ecotypes. Ecotype comparison was conducted within common regions and the levels of DNA methylation on common regions and Col-specific regions were also compared. we confirmed transcriptome were relatively dynamic in stage-wise whereas the DNA methylome and small RNAome were more ecotype-dependent. While the global CG methylation remains steady during maturation and germination, we found genic CG methylation differs the most between the two accessions. We also found that ecotype-specific differentially methylated regions (eDMR) are positively correlated with ecotype-specifically expressed 24-nt small RNA clusters. In addition, we discovered that Col-specific regions enriched with transposable elements (TEs) and structural variants that tend to become hypermethylated, and TEs in Col-specific regions were longer in size, more pericentromeric, and more hypermethylated than those in the common regions. Through the analysis of RdDM machinery mutants, we confirmed methylation on Col-specific region as well as on eDMRs in common region are contributed by RdDM pathway. Lastly, we demonstrated that highly variable sequences between ecotypes (HOT regions) were also affected by RdDM-mediated regulation. CONCLUSIONS Through ecotype comparison, we revealed differences and similarities of their transcriptome, methylome and small RNAome both in global and local regions. We validated the contribution of RdDM causing differential methylation of common regions. Hypermethylated ecotype-specific regions contributed by RNA-directed DNA methylation pathway largely depend on the presence of TEs and copy-gain structural variations. These ecotype-specific regions are frequently associated with HOT regions, providing evolutionary insights into the epigenome dynamics within a species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaehoon Lee
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Yoon Shin
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Kyu Lee
- grid.289247.20000 0001 2171 7818Graduate School of Green-Bio Science and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104 South Korea ,grid.256681.e0000 0001 0661 1492Current address: Division of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, 52828 South Korea
| | - Kyunghyuk Park
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Haechan Gill
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Youbong Hyun
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Choongwon Jeong
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Jong-Seong Jeon
- grid.289247.20000 0001 2171 7818Graduate School of Green-Bio Science and Crop Biotech Institute, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 17104 South Korea
| | - Chanseok Shin
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Interdisciplinary Program in Agricultural Genomics, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Plant Genomics and Breeding Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea
| | - Yeonhee Choi
- grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Department of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 South Korea ,grid.31501.360000 0004 0470 5905Research Center for Plant Plasticity, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
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Peng J, Zhang WJ, Zhang Q, Su YH, Tang LP. The dynamics of chromatin states mediated by epigenetic modifications during somatic cell reprogramming. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1097780. [PMID: 36727112 PMCID: PMC9884706 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1097780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Somatic cell reprogramming (SCR) is the conversion of differentiated somatic cells into totipotent or pluripotent cells through a variety of methods. Somatic cell reprogramming also provides a platform to investigate the role of chromatin-based factors in establishing and maintaining totipotency or pluripotency, since high expression of totipotency- or pluripotency-related genes usually require an active chromatin state. Several studies in plants or mammals have recently shed light on the molecular mechanisms by which epigenetic modifications regulate the expression of totipotency or pluripotency genes by altering their chromatin states. In this review, we present a comprehensive overview of the dynamic changes in epigenetic modifications and chromatin states during reprogramming from somatic cells to totipotent or pluripotent cells. In addition, we illustrate the potential role of DNA methylation, histone modifications, histone variants, and chromatin remodeling during somatic cell reprogramming, which will pave the way to developing reliable strategies for efficient cellular reprogramming.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ying Hua Su
- *Correspondence: Ying Hua Su, ; Li Ping Tang,
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Bennett M, Hawk TE, Lopes-Caitar VS, Adams N, Rice JH, Hewezi T. Establishment and maintenance of DNA methylation in nematode feeding sites. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1111623. [PMID: 36704169 PMCID: PMC9873351 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1111623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
A growing body of evidence indicates that epigenetic mechanisms, particularly DNA methylation, play key regulatory roles in plant-nematode interactions. Nevertheless, the transcriptional activity of key genes mediating DNA methylation and active demethylation in the nematode feeding sites remains largely unknown. Here, we profiled the promoter activity of 12 genes involved in maintenance and de novo establishment of DNA methylation and active demethylation in the syncytia and galls induced respectively by the cyst nematode Heterodera schachtii and the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita in Arabidopsis roots. The promoter activity assays revealed that expression of the CG-context methyltransferases is restricted to feeding site formation and development stages. Chromomethylase1 (CMT1), CMT2, and CMT3 and Domains Rearranged Methyltransferase2 (DRM2) and DRM3, which mediate non-CG methylation, showed similar and distinct expression patterns in the syncytia and galls at various time points. Notably, the promoters of various DNA demethylases were more active in galls as compared with the syncytia, particularly during the early stage of infection. Mutants impaired in CG or CHH methylation similarly enhanced plant susceptibility to H. schachtii and M. incognita, whereas mutants impaired in CHG methylation reduced plant susceptibility only to M. incognita. Interestingly, hypermethylated mutants defective in active DNA demethylation exhibited contrasting responses to infection by H. schachtii and M. incognita, a finding most likely associated with differential regulation of defense-related genes in these mutants upon nematode infection. Our results point to methylation-dependent mechanisms regulating plant responses to infection by cyst and root-knot nematodes.
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Ferrari M, Muto A, Bruno L, Cozza R. DNA Methylation in Algae and Its Impact on Abiotic Stress Responses. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:241. [PMID: 36678953 PMCID: PMC9861306 DOI: 10.3390/plants12020241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics, referring to heritable gene regulatory information that is independent of changes in DNA sequences, is an important mechanism involved both in organism development and in the response to environmental events. About the epigenetic marks, DNA methylation is one of the most conserved mechanisms, playing a pivotal role in organism response to several biotic and abiotic stressors. Indeed, stress can induce changes in gene expression through hypo- or hyper-methylation of DNA at specific loci and/or in DNA methylation at the genome-wide level, which has an adaptive significance and can direct genome evolution. Exploring DNA methylation in responses to abiotic stress could have important implications for improving stress tolerance in algae. This article summarises the DNA methylation pattern in algae and its impact on abiotic stress, such as heavy metals, nutrients and temperature. Our discussion provides information for further research in algae for a better comprehension of the epigenetic response under abiotic stress, which could favour important implications to sustain algae growth under abiotic stress conditions, often related to high biosynthesis of interesting metabolites.
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Lancíková V, Kačírová J, Hricová A. Identification and gene expression analysis of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase and demethylase genes in Amaranthus cruentus L. under heavy metal stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1092067. [PMID: 36684770 PMCID: PMC9846163 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1092067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Amaranth has become increasingly popular due to its highly nutritious grains and ability to tolerate environmental stress. The mechanism underlying defense and adaptation to environmental stress is a complicated process involving DNA methylation and demethylation. These epigenetic features have been well documented to play an important role in plant stress response, including heavy metal-induced stress. This study was aimed at the identification and analysis of cytosine-5 DNA methyltransferase (C5-MTase) and demethylase (DMTase) genes in Amaranthus cruentus. Eight C5-MTase and two DMTase genes were identified and described in response to individual heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Mn) and their combination (Cd/Pb, Cd/Zn, Pb/Zn) in root and leaf tissues. Studied heavy metals, individually and in combinations, differentially regulated C5-MTase and DMTase gene expression. Interestingly, most of the genes were transcriptionally altered under Zn exposure. Our results suggest that identified amaranth MTase and DMTase genes are involved in heavy metal stress responses through regulating DNA methylation and demethylation level in amaranth plants.
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Vaquero-Sedas MI, Vega-Palas MA. Epigenetic nature of Arabidopsis thaliana telomeres. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 191:47-55. [PMID: 36218957 PMCID: PMC9806604 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiac471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The epigenetic features of defined chromosomal domains condition their biochemical and functional properties. Therefore, there is considerable interest in studying the epigenetic marks present at relevant chromosomal loci. Telomeric regions, which include telomeres and subtelomeres, have been traditionally considered heterochromatic. However, whereas the heterochromatic nature of subtelomeres has been widely accepted, the epigenetic status of telomeres remains controversial. Here, we studied the epigenetic features of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) telomeres by analyzing multiple genome-wide ChIP-seq experiments. Our analyses revealed that Arabidopsis telomeres are not significantly enriched either in euchromatic marks like H3K4me2, H3K9ac, and H3K27me3 or in heterochromatic marks such as H3K27me1 and H3K9me2. Thus, telomeric regions in Arabidopsis have a bimodal chromatin organization with telomeres lacking significant levels of canonical euchromatic and heterochromatic marks followed by heterochromatic subtelomeres. Since heterochromatin is known to influence telomere function, the heterochromatic modifications present at Arabidopsis subtelomeres could play a relevant role in telomere biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- María I Vaquero-Sedas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis, CSIC-Universidad de Sevilla, IBVF (CSIC-US), Seville E41092, Spain
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Griess O, Domb K, Katz A, Harris KD, Heskiau KG, Ohad N, Zemach A. Knockout of DDM1 in Physcomitrium patens disrupts DNA methylation with a minute effect on transposon regulation and development. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0279688. [PMID: 36888585 PMCID: PMC9994747 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0279688] [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: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The Snf2 chromatin remodeler, DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) facilitates DNA methylation. In flowering plants, DDM1 mediates methylation in heterochromatin, which is targeted primarily by MET1 and CMT methylases and is necessary for silencing transposons and for proper development. DNA methylation mechanisms evolved throughout plant evolution, whereas the role of DDM1 in early terrestrial plants remains elusive. Here, we studied the function of DDM1 in the moss, Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens, which has robust DNA methylation that suppresses transposons and is mediated by a MET1, a CMT, and a DNMT3 methylases. To elucidate the role of DDM1 in P. patens, we have generated a knockout mutant and found DNA methylation to be strongly disrupted at any of its sequence contexts. Symmetric CG and CHG sequences were affected stronger than asymmetric CHH sites. Furthermore, despite their separate targeting mechanisms, CG (MET) and CHG (CMT) methylation were similarly depleted by about 75%. CHH (DNMT3) methylation was overall reduced by about 25%, with an evident hyper-methylation activity within lowly-methylated euchromatic transposon sequences. Despite the strong hypomethylation effect, only a minute number of transposons were transcriptionally activated in Ppddm1. Finally, Ppddm1 was found to develop normally throughout the plant life cycle. These results demonstrate that DNA methylation is strongly dependent on DDM1 in a non-flowering plant; that DDM1 is required for plant-DNMT3 (CHH) methylases, though to a lower extent than for MET1 and CMT enzymes; and that distinct and separate methylation pathways (e.g. MET1-CG and CMT-CHG), can be equally regulated by the chromatin and that DDM1 plays a role in it. Finally, our data suggest that the biological significance of DDM1 in terms of transposon regulation and plant development, is species dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ofir Griess
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Katherine Domb
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Aviva Katz
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Keith D. Harris
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Karina G. Heskiau
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
| | - Nir Ohad
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail: (AZ); (NO)
| | - Assaf Zemach
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel- Aviv, Israel
- * E-mail: (AZ); (NO)
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Morgan BL, Donohue K. Parental methylation mediates how progeny respond to environments of parents and of progeny themselves. ANNALS OF BOTANY 2022; 130:883-899. [PMID: 36201313 PMCID: PMC9758305 DOI: 10.1093/aob/mcac125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 10/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Environments experienced by both parents and offspring influence progeny traits, but the epigenetic mechanisms that regulate the balance of parental vs. progeny control of progeny phenotypes are not known. We tested whether DNA methylation in parents and/or progeny mediates responses to environmental cues experienced in both generations. METHODS Using Arabidopsis thaliana, we manipulated parental and progeny DNA methylation both chemically, via 5-azacytidine, and genetically, via mutants of methyltransferase genes, then measured progeny germination responses to simulated canopy shade in parental and progeny generations. KEY RESULTS We first found that germination of offspring responded to parental but not seed demethylation. We further found that parental demethylation reversed the parental effect of canopy in seeds with low (Cvi-1) to intermediate (Col) dormancy, but it obliterated the parental effect in seeds with high dormancy (Cvi-0). Demethylation did so by either suppressing germination of seeds matured under white-light (Cvi-1) or under canopy (Cvi-0), or by increasing the germination of seeds matured under canopy (Col). Disruption of parental methylation also prevented seeds from responding to their own light environment in one genotype (Cvi-0, most dormant), but it enabled seeds to respond to their own environment in another genotype (Cvi-1, least dormant). Using mutant genotypes, we found that both CG and non-CG DNA methylation were involved in parental effects on seed germination. CONCLUSIONS Parental methylation state influences seed germination more strongly than does the progeny's own methylation state, and it influences how seeds respond to environments of parents and progeny in a genotype-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Britany L Morgan
- University Program in Ecology Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Center for Agricultural Synthetic Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Kathleen Donohue
- University Program in Ecology Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
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36
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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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Zhou X, Wei M, Nie W, Xi Y, Peng L, Zheng Q, Tang K, Satheesh V, Wang Y, Luo J, Du X, Liu R, Yang Z, La H, Zhong Y, Yang Y, Zhu JK, Du J, Lei M. The H3K9me2-binding protein AGDP3 limits DNA methylation and transcriptional gene silencing in Arabidopsis. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2022; 64:2385-2395. [PMID: 36149781 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation, a conserved epigenetic mark, is critical for tuning temporal and spatial gene expression. The Arabidopsis thaliana DNA glycosylase/lyase REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1) initiates active DNA demethylation and is required to prevent DNA hypermethylation at thousands of genomic loci. However, how ROS1 is recruited to specific loci is not well understood. Here, we report the discovery of Arabidopsis AGENET Domain Containing Protein 3 (AGDP3) as a cellular factor that is required to prevent gene silencing and DNA hypermethylation. AGDP3 binds to H3K9me2 marks in its target DNA via its AGD12 cassette. Analysis of the crystal structure of the AGD12 cassette of AGDP3 in complex with an H3K9me2 peptide revealed that dimethylated H3K9 and unmodified H3K4 are specifically anchored into two different surface pockets. A histidine residue located in the methyllysine binding aromatic cage provides AGDP3 with pH-dependent H3K9me2 binding capacity. Our results uncover a molecular mechanism for the regulation of DNA demethylation by the gene silencing mark H3K9me2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelin Zhou
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Mengwei Wei
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wenfeng Nie
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture and Plant Protection, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yue Xi
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Li Peng
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Qijie Zheng
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Kai Tang
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Idiana, 47906, USA
| | - Viswanathan Satheesh
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Yuhua Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Jinyan Luo
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Xuan Du
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Zhenlin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Honggui La
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Yingli Zhong
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
| | - Jian-Kang Zhu
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
- Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Idiana, 47906, USA
| | - Jiamu Du
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Design for Plant Cell Factory of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Institute of Plant and Food Science, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, 518055, China
| | - Mingguang Lei
- Shanghai Center for Plant Stress Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201602, China
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Shao Z, Huang L, Zhang Y, Qiang S, Song X. Transgene Was Silenced in Hybrids between Transgenic Herbicide-Resistant Crops and Their Wild Relatives Utilizing Alien Chromosomes. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3187. [PMID: 36501227 PMCID: PMC9741405 DOI: 10.3390/plants11233187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The commercialization of transgenic herbicide-resistant (HR) crops may cause gene flow risk. If a transgene in progenies of transgenic crops and wild relatives is silencing, these progenies should be killed by the target herbicide, thus, the gene flow risk could be decreased. We obtained the progenies of backcross generations between wild Brassca juncea (AABB, 2n = 36) and glufosinate-resistant transgenic Brassica napus (AACC, 2n = 38, PAT gene located on the C-chromosome). They carried the HR gene but did not express it normally, i.e., gene silencing occurred. Meanwhile, six to nine methylation sites were found on the promoter of PAT in transgene-silencing progenies, while no methylation sites occurred on that in transgene-expressing progenies. In addition, transgene expressing and silencing backcross progenies showed similar fitness with wild Brassica juncea. In conclusion, we elaborate on the occurrence of transgene-silencing event in backcross progenies between transgenic crop utilizing alien chromosomes and their wild relatives, and the DNA methylation of the transgene promoter was an important factor leading to gene silencing. The insertion site of the transgene could be considered a strategy to reduce the ecological risk of transgenic crops, and applied to cultivate lower gene flow HR crops in the future.
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Song J, Wang X, Huang L, Li Z, Ren H, Wang J. Genetic dissection of the soybean dwarf mutant dm with integrated genomic, transcriptomic and methylomic analyses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1017672. [PMID: 36479521 PMCID: PMC9721362 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1017672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Plant height affects crop production and breeding practices, while genetic control of dwarfism draws a broad interest of researchers. Dwarfism in soybean (Glycine max) is mainly unexplored. Here, we characterized a dwarf mutant dm screened from ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutated seeds of the soybean cultivar Zhongpin 661(ZP). Phenotypically, dm showed shorter and thinner stems, smaller leaves, and more nodes than ZP under greenhouse conditions. Genetically, whole-genome sequencing and comparison revealed that 210K variants of SNPs and InDel in ZP relative to the soybean reference genome Williams82, and EMS mutagenesis affected 636 genes with variants predicted to have a large impact on protein function in dm. Whole-genome methylation sequencing found 704 differentially methylated regions in dm. Further whole-genome RNA-Seq based transcriptomic comparison between ZP and dm leaves revealed 687 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 263 up-regulated and 424 down-regulated genes. Integrated omics analyses revealed 11 genes with both differential expressions and DNA variants, one gene with differential expression and differential methylation, and three genes with differential methylation and sequence variation, worthy of future investigation. Genes in cellulose, fatty acids, and energy-associated processes could be the key candidate genes for the dwarf phenotype. This study provides genetic clues for further understanding of the genetic control of dwarfism in soybean. The genetic resources could help to inbreed new cultivars with a desirable dwarf characteristic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Song
- College of Life Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
- National Key Facility for Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI)/Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuewen Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Georgia, Athens, AB, United States
| | - Lan Huang
- Department of Computer Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
| | - Zhongfeng Li
- National Key Facility for Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI)/Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Honglei Ren
- National Key Facility for Gene Resources and Genetic Improvement (NFCRI)/Institute of Crop Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
- Soybean Research Institute, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Jun Wang
- College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China
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40
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Structure and Mechanism of Plant DNA Methyltransferases. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1389:137-157. [PMID: 36350509 PMCID: PMC10112988 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-11454-0_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark conserved in eukaryotes from fungi to animals and plants, where it plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression and transposon silencing. Once the methylation mark is established by de novo DNA methyltransferases, specific regulatory mechanisms are required to maintain the methylation state during chromatin replication, both during meiosis and mitosis. Plant DNA methylation is found in three contexts; CG, CHG, and CHH (H = A, T, C), which are established and maintained by a unique set of DNA methyltransferases and are regulated by plant-specific pathways. DNA methylation in plants is often associated with other epigenetic modifications, such as noncoding RNA and histone modifications. This chapter focuses on the structure, function, and regulatory mechanism of plant DNA methyltransferases and their crosstalk with other epigenetic pathways.
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41
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Xue Y, Zou C, Zhang C, Yu H, Chen B, Wang H. Dynamic DNA methylation changes reveal tissue-specific gene expression in sugarcane. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:1036764. [PMID: 36311126 PMCID: PMC9606695 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1036764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important mechanism for the dynamic regulation of gene expression and silencing of transposons during plant developmental processes. Here, we analyzed genome-wide methylation patterns in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) leaves, roots, rinds, and piths at single-base resolution. DNA methylation patterns were similar among the different sugarcane tissues, whereas DNA methylation levels differed. We also found that DNA methylation in different genic regions or sequence contexts plays different roles in gene expression. Differences in methylation among tissues resulted in many differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between tissues, particularly CHH DMRs. Genes overlapping with DMRs tended to be differentially expressed (DEGs) between tissues, and these DMR-associated DEGs were enriched in biological pathways related to tissue function, such as photosynthesis, sucrose synthesis, stress response, transport, and metabolism. Moreover, we observed many DNA methylation valleys (DMVs), which always overlapped with transcription factors (TFs) and sucrose-related genes, such as WRKY, bZIP, WOX, SPS, and FBPase. Collectively, these findings provide significant insights into the complicated interplay between DNA methylation and gene expression and shed light on the epigenetic regulation of sucrose-related genes in sugarcane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajie Xue
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chengwu Zou
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Hang Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Baoshan Chen
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Haifeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
- Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Crop Cultivation and Tillage, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
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Conditional GWAS of non-CG transposon methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana reveals major polymorphisms in five genes. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010345. [PMID: 36084135 PMCID: PMC9491579 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that the striking natural variation for DNA CHH-methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) of transposons has oligogenic architecture involving major alleles at a handful of known methylation regulators. Here we use a conditional GWAS approach to show that CHG-methylation (mCHG) has a similar genetic architecture—once mCHH is statistically controlled for. We identify five key trans-regulators that appear to modulate mCHG levels, and show that they interact with a previously identified modifier of mCHH in regulating natural transposon mobilization. DNA methylation is an epigenetic mark common across eukaryotes. It is associated with transcriptional silencing, in particular of transposable elements. Multiple elements, including epigenetic inheritance, shape DNA methylation patterns, and the complexity makes it challenging to dissect the regulation. Our work on the 1001 Arabidopsis Epigenomes project led to the unexpected discovery that much of the natural variation for CHH methylation (mCHH; H is A, T, or C) on transposable elements could be attributed to allelic variation in three genes known to be involved in epigenetic regulation. However, our analysis of methylation in other sequence contexts (mCHG and mCG) revealed no genetic regulator. Here we show that if mCHG variation is analyzed while taking mCHH into account, mCHG is also strongly influenced by allelic variation in a small number of genes with known or highly plausible direct roles in epigenetic regulation. The presence of common allelic variation of large effect is suggestive of some form of local adaptation. The nature of this adaptation remains obscure, but we present further evidence that allelic variation regulating DNA methylation influences transposon mobilization.
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Ray P, Sahu D, Aminedi R, Chandran D. Concepts and considerations for enhancing RNAi efficiency in phytopathogenic fungi for RNAi-based crop protection using nanocarrier-mediated dsRNA delivery systems. FRONTIERS IN FUNGAL BIOLOGY 2022; 3:977502. [PMID: 37746174 PMCID: PMC10512274 DOI: 10.3389/ffunb.2022.977502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Existing, emerging, and reemerging strains of phytopathogenic fungi pose a significant threat to agricultural productivity globally. This risk is further exacerbated by the lack of resistance source(s) in plants or a breakdown of resistance by pathogens through co-evolution. In recent years, attenuation of essential pathogen gene(s) via double-stranded (ds) RNA-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) in host plants, a phenomenon known as host-induced gene silencing, has gained significant attention as a way to combat pathogen attack. Yet, due to biosafety concerns regarding transgenics, country-specific GMO legislation has limited the practical application of desirable attributes in plants. The topical application of dsRNA/siRNA targeting essential fungal gene(s) through spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) on host plants has opened up a transgene-free avenue for crop protection. However, several factors influence the outcome of RNAi, including but not limited to RNAi mechanism in plant/fungi, dsRNA/siRNA uptake efficiency, dsRNA/siRNA design parameters, dsRNA stability and delivery strategy, off-target effects, etc. This review emphasizes the significance of these factors and suggests appropriate measures to consider while designing in silico and in vitro experiments for successful RNAi in open-field conditions. We also highlight prospective nanoparticles as smart delivery vehicles for deploying RNAi molecules in plant systems for long-term crop protection and ecosystem compatibility. Lastly, we provide specific directions for future investigations that focus on blending nanotechnology and RNAi-based fungal control for practical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Ray
- Laboratory of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Debashish Sahu
- Laboratory of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
| | - Raghavendra Aminedi
- Division of Genomic Resources, ICAR-National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Chandran
- Laboratory of Plant-Microbe Interactions, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad, India
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S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and Cu(II) Impact Green Plant Regeneration Efficiency. Cells 2022; 11:cells11172700. [PMID: 36078107 PMCID: PMC9454820 DOI: 10.3390/cells11172700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The biological improvement of triticale, a cereal of increasing importance in agriculture, may be accelerated via the production of doubled haploid lines using in vitro culture. Among the relevant factors affecting the culture efficiency are Cu(II) or Ag(I) acting, e.g., as cofactors of enzymes. The copper ions are known to positively affect green plant regeneration efficiency. However, the biochemical basis, mainly its role in the generation of in vitro-induced genetic and epigenetic variation and green plant regeneration efficiency, is not well understood. Here, we employed structural equation modeling to evaluate the relationship between de novo DNA methylation affecting the asymmetric context of CHH sequences, the methylation-sensitive Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism related sequence variation, and the concentration of Cu(II) and Ag(I) ions in induction media, as well as their effect on S-adenosyl-L-methionine perturbations, observed using FTIR spectroscopy, and the green plant regeneration efficiency. Our results allowed the construction of a theory-based model reflecting the biological phenomena associated with green plant regeneration efficiency. Furthermore, it is shown that Cu(II) ions in induction media affect plant regeneration, and by manipulating their concentration, the regeneration efficiency can be altered. Additionally, S-adenosyl-L-methionine is involved in the efficiency of green plant regeneration through methylation of the asymmetric CHH sequence related to de novo methylation. This shows that the Yang cycle may impact the production of green regenerants.
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45
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NODULIN HOMEOBOX is required for heterochromatin homeostasis in Arabidopsis. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5058. [PMID: 36030240 PMCID: PMC9420119 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32709-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Arabidopsis NODULIN HOMEOBOX (NDX) is a nuclear protein described as a regulator of specific euchromatic genes within transcriptionally active chromosome arms. Here we show that NDX is primarily a heterochromatin regulator that functions in pericentromeric regions to control siRNA production and non-CG methylation. Most NDX binding sites coincide with pericentromeric het-siRNA loci that mediate transposon silencing, and are antagonistic with R-loop structures that are prevalent in euchromatic chromosomal arms. Inactivation of NDX leads to differential siRNA accumulation and DNA methylation, of which CHH/CHG hypomethylation colocalizes with NDX binding sites. Hi-C analysis shows significant chromatin structural changes in the ndx mutant, with decreased intrachromosomal interactions at pericentromeres where NDX is enriched in wild-type plants, and increased interchromosomal contacts between KNOT-forming regions, similar to those observed in DNA methylation mutants. We conclude that NDX is a key regulator of heterochromatin that is functionally coupled to het-siRNA loci and non-CG DNA methylation pathways. Arabidopsis NDX was previously reported as a regulator of euchromatic gene expression. Here the authors show that NDX functions at pericentromeric regions and regulates heterochromatin homeostasis by controlling siRNA production and non-CG methylation.
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46
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Sečnik A, Štajner N, Radišek S, Kunej U, Križman M, Jakše J. Cytosine Methylation in Genomic DNA and Characterization of DNA Methylases and Demethylases and Their Expression Profiles in Viroid-Infected Hop Plants ( Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia'). Cells 2022; 11:cells11162592. [PMID: 36010668 PMCID: PMC9406385 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic and biotic stresses can lead to changes in host DNA methylation, which in plants is also mediated by an RNA-directed DNA methylation mechanism. Infections with viroids have been shown to affect DNA methylation dynamics in different plant hosts. The aim of our research was to determine the content of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) in genomic DNA at the whole genome level of hop plants (Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia') infected with different viroids and their combinations and to analyse the expression of the selected genes to improve our understanding of DNA methylation dynamics in plant-viroid systems. The adapted HPLC-UV method used proved to be suitable for this purpose, and thus we were able to estimate for the first time that the cytosine methylation level in viroid-free hop plants was 26.7%. Interestingly, the observed 5-mC level was the lowest in hop plants infected simultaneously with CBCVd, HLVd and HSVd (23.7%), whereas the highest level was observed in plants infected with HLVd (31.4%). In addition, we identified three DNA methylases and one DNA demethylase gene in the hop's draft genome. The RT-qPCR revealed upregulation of all newly identified genes in hop plants infected with all three viroids, while no altered expression was observed in any of the other hop plants tested, except for CBCVd-infected hop plants, in which one DNA methylase was also upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Sečnik
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Štajner
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sebastjan Radišek
- Plant Protection Department, Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, 3310 Žalec, Slovenia
| | - Urban Kunej
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mitja Križman
- Laboratory for Food Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Jakše
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-1-3203280
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Niu LZ, Xu W, Ma PF, Guo ZH, Li DZ. Single-base methylome analysis reveals dynamic changes of genome-wide DNA methylation associated with rapid stem growth of woody bamboos. PLANTA 2022; 256:53. [PMID: 35913571 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-022-03962-8] [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: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
CG and CHG methylation levels in the rapid shoot growth stages (ST2-ST4) of woody bamboos were obviously decreased, which might regulate the internode elongation during rapid shoot growth, while CHH methylation was strongly associated with shoot developmental time or age. DNA methylation plays a critical role in the regulation of plant growth and development. Woody bamboos have a unique trait of rapid stem growth resulted from internode elongation at the shooting period. However, it is still unclear whether DNA methylation significantly controls the bamboo rapid stem growth. Here we present whole-genome DNA methylation profiles of the paleotropical woody bamboo Bonia amplexicaulis at five newly defined stages of shoot growth, named ST1-ST5. We found that CG and CHG methylation levels in the rapid shoot growth stages (ST2-ST4) were significantly lower than in the incubation (ST1) and plateau stages (ST5). The changes in methylation levels mainly occurred in flanking regions of genes and gene body regions, and 23647 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified between ST1 and rapid shoot growth stages (ST2-ST4). Combined with transcriptome analysis, we found that DMR-related genes enriched in the auxin and jasmonic acid (JA) signal transduction, and other pathways closely related to plant growth. Intriguingly, CHH methylation was not involved in the rapid shoot growth, but strongly associated with shoot developmental time by gradually accumulating in transposable elements (TEs) regions. Overall, our results reveal the importance of DNA methylation in regulating the bamboo rapid shoot growth and suggest a role of DNA methylation associated with development time or age in woody bamboos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang-Zhong Niu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Peng-Fei Ma
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Guo
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - De-Zhu Li
- Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 132 Lanhei Road, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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48
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Liu F, Xu H, Ni W, Wang Y, Hong X, Li W, Yu L, Chen C, Wei C, Liu X, Zhu X. Temporal variation in DNA methylation during gonadal development in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:1217-1227. [PMID: 35835578 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation plays a significant role in transducing external environmental signals to a cellular response in reptiles; however, whether the methylation patterns are conserved across species remains unclear. Here, we examined the genome-wide DNA methylation differentiation between male and female hatchling gonads of the temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) Mauremys mutica (M. mutica) using methylation-dependent restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (MethylRAD-seq) to test differentially methylated genes underlying sexual development. Several categories, including heat shock genes (HSP90A, HSP30C), histone- (KDM8) and ubiquitin-related genes (TRIM39), kinases (WNK3) and gonad differentiation or gonadal development related genes (HSD17B8, HSD17B12), were identified as candidates for future study. Additionally, we identified several regulatory pathways potentially mediating TSD thermosensitivity such as the GnRH signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway. These findings provide evidence that sexually dimorphic DNA methylation may be associated with sex determination or sex differentiation in TSD M. mutica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Haoyang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038.,College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China, 201306
| | - Wei Ni
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038.,College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China, 201306
| | - Yakun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Xiaoyou Hong
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Wei Li
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Lingyun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Chen Chen
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Chengqing Wei
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Xiaoli Liu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038
| | - Xinping Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Tropical & Subtropical Fishery Resource Application & Cultivation of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, 51038.,College of Life Science and Fisheries, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China, 201306
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49
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Fang J, Jiang J, Leichter SM, Liu J, Biswal M, Khudaverdyan N, Zhong X, Song J. Mechanistic basis for maintenance of CHG DNA methylation in plants. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3877. [PMID: 35790763 PMCID: PMC9256654 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31627-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved epigenetic mechanism essential for transposon silencing and heterochromatin assembly. In plants, DNA methylation widely occurs in the CG, CHG, and CHH (H = A, C, or T) contexts, with the maintenance of CHG methylation mediated by CMT3 chromomethylase. However, how CMT3 interacts with the chromatin environment for faithful maintenance of CHG methylation is unclear. Here we report structure-function characterization of the H3K9me2-directed maintenance of CHG methylation by CMT3 and its Zea mays ortholog ZMET2. Base-specific interactions and DNA deformation coordinately underpin the substrate specificity of CMT3 and ZMET2, while a bivalent readout of H3K9me2 and H3K18 allosterically stimulates substrate binding. Disruption of the interaction with DNA or H3K9me2/H3K18 led to loss of CMT3/ZMET2 activity in vitro and impairment of genome-wide CHG methylation in vivo. Together, our study uncovers how the intricate interplay of CMT3, repressive histone marks, and DNA sequence mediates heterochromatic CHG methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Fang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Jianjun Jiang
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Sarah M Leichter
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Jie Liu
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA
| | - Mahamaya Biswal
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Nelli Khudaverdyan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Xuehua Zhong
- Laboratory of Genetics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, 53715, USA.
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
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50
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Liu S, Bao Y, Deng H, Liu G, Han Y, Wu Y, Zhang T, Chen C. The Methylation Inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-Deoxycytidine Induces Genome-Wide Hypomethylation in Rice. RICE (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2022; 15:35. [PMID: 35779161 PMCID: PMC9250569 DOI: 10.1186/s12284-022-00580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation is a conserved epigenetic modification which is vital for regulating gene expression and maintaining genome stability in both mammals and plants. Homozygous mutation of rice methyltransferase 1 (met1) gene can cause host death in rice, making it difficult to obtain plant material needed for hypomethylation research. To circumvent this challenge, the methylation inhibitor, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AzaD), is used as a cytosine nucleoside analogue to reduce genome wide hypomethylation and is widely used in hypomethylation research. However, how AzaD affects plant methylation profiles at the genome scale is largely unknown. Here, we treated rice seedlings with AzaD and compared the AzaD treatment with osmet1-2 mutants, illustrating that there are similar CG hypomethylation and distribution throughout the whole genome. Along with global methylation loss class I transposable elements (TEs) which are farther from genes compared with class II TEs, were more significantly activated, and the RNA-directed DNA Methylation (RdDM) pathway was activated in specific genomic regions to compensate for severe CG loss. Overall, our results suggest that AzaD is an effective DNA methylation inhibitor that can influence genome wide methylation and cause a series of epigenetic variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yu Bao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Hui Deng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Guanqing Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yangshuo Han
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Yuechao Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Key Laboratory of Plant Functional Genomics of the Ministry of Education/Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
| | - Chen Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genomics and Molecular Breeding/Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Physiology, Agricultural College of Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Modern Production Technology of Grain Crops, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009, China.
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