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Petitpas M, Lapous R, Le Duc M, Lariagon C, Lemoine J, Langrume C, Manzanares-Dauleux MJ, Jubault M. Environmental conditions modulate the effect of epigenetic factors controlling the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Plasmodiophora brassicae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1245545. [PMID: 38872892 PMCID: PMC11171141 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1245545] [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: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to clubroot, a major disease of Brassicaceae caused by the obligate protist Plasmodiophora brassicae, is controlled in part by epigenetic factors. The detection of some of these epigenetic quantitative trait loci (QTLepi) has been shown to depend on experimental conditions. The aim of the present study was to assess whether and how temperature and/or soil water availability influenced both the detection and the extent of the effect of response QTLepi. The epigenetic recombinant inbred line (epiRIL) population, derived from the cross between ddm1-2 and Col-0 (partially resistant and susceptible to clubroot, respectively), was phenotyped for response to P. brassicae under four abiotic conditions including standard conditions, a 5°C temperature increase, drought, and flooding. The abiotic constraints tested had a significant impact on both the leaf growth of the epiRIL population and the outcome of the epiRIL-pathogen interaction. Linkage analysis led to the detection of a total of 31 QTLepi, 18 of which were specific to one abiotic condition and 13 common to at least two environments. EpiRIL showed significant plasticity under epigenetic control, which appeared to be specific to the traits evaluated and to the abiotic conditions. These results highlight that the environment can affect the epigenetic architecture of plant growth and immune responses and advance our understanding of the epigenetic factors underlying plasticity in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mélanie Jubault
- IGEPP, Institut Agro Rennes-Angers – INRAE – Université de Rennes, Le Rheu, France
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2
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Epigenetic Changes Occurring in Plant Inbreeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065407. [PMID: 36982483 PMCID: PMC10048984 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding is the crossing of closely related individuals in nature or a plantation or self-pollinating plants, which produces plants with high homozygosity. This process can reduce genetic diversity in the offspring and decrease heterozygosity, whereas inbred depression (ID) can often reduce viability. Inbred depression is common in plants and animals and has played a significant role in evolution. In the review, we aim to show that inbreeding can, through the action of epigenetic mechanisms, affect gene expression, resulting in changes in the metabolism and phenotype of organisms. This is particularly important in plant breeding because epigenetic profiles can be linked to the deterioration or improvement of agriculturally important characteristics.
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Saeed F, Chaudhry UK, Bakhsh A, Raza A, Saeed Y, Bohra A, Varshney RK. Moving Beyond DNA Sequence to Improve Plant Stress Responses. Front Genet 2022; 13:874648. [PMID: 35518351 PMCID: PMC9061961 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.874648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Plants offer a habitat for a range of interactions to occur among different stress factors. Epigenetics has become the most promising functional genomics tool, with huge potential for improving plant adaptation to biotic and abiotic stresses. Advances in plant molecular biology have dramatically changed our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control these interactions, and plant epigenetics has attracted great interest in this context. Accumulating literature substantiates the crucial role of epigenetics in the diversity of plant responses that can be harnessed to accelerate the progress of crop improvement. However, harnessing epigenetics to its full potential will require a thorough understanding of the epigenetic modifications and assessing the functional relevance of these variants. The modern technologies of profiling and engineering plants at genome-wide scale provide new horizons to elucidate how epigenetic modifications occur in plants in response to stress conditions. This review summarizes recent progress on understanding the epigenetic regulation of plant stress responses, methods to detect genome-wide epigenetic modifications, and disentangling their contributions to plant phenotypes from other sources of variations. Key epigenetic mechanisms underlying stress memory are highlighted. Linking plant response with the patterns of epigenetic variations would help devise breeding strategies for improving crop performance under stressed scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faisal Saeed
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Usman Khalid Chaudhry
- Department of Agricultural Genetic Engineering, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, Nigde Omer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Allah Bakhsh
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Ali Raza
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Oil Crops Research Institute, Center of Legume Crop Genetics and Systems Biology/College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU), Fuzhou, China
| | - Yasir Saeed
- Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Abhishek Bohra
- State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Rajeev K. Varshney
- Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for Genetics, Breeding and Multiple Utilization of Crops, Oil Crops Research Institute, Center of Legume Crop Genetics and Systems Biology/College of Agriculture, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU), Fuzhou, China
- State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
- Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad, India
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4
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Leitwein M, Wellband K, Cayuela H, Le Luyer J, Mohns K, Withler R, Bernatchez L. Strong parallel differential gene expression induced by hatchery rearing weakly associated with methylation signals in adult Coho Salmon (O. kisutch). Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:6547269. [PMID: 35276004 PMCID: PMC8995047 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activities and resource exploitation led to a massive decline of wild salmonid populations, consequently, numerous conservation programs have been developed to supplement wild populations. However, many studies documented reduced fitness of hatchery-born relative to wild fish. Here, by using both RNA sequencing and Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing of hatchery and wild-born adult Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) originating from two previously studied river systems, we show that early-life hatchery-rearing environment-induced significant and parallel gene expression differentiation is maintained until Coho come back to their natal river for reproduction. A total of 3,643 genes differentially expressed and 859 coexpressed genes were downregulated in parallel in hatchery-born fish from both rivers relative to their wild congeners. Among those genes, 26 displayed a significant relationship between gene expression and the median gene body methylation and 669 single CpGs displayed a significant correlation between methylation level and the associated gene expression. The link between methylation and gene expression was weak suggesting that DNA methylation is not the only player in mediating hatchery-related expression differences. Yet, significant gene expression differentiation was observed despite 18 months spent in a common environment (i.e., the sea). Finally, the differentiation is observed in parallel in two different river systems, highlighting the fact that early-life environment may account for at least some of the reduced fitness of the hatchery salmon in the wild. These results illustrate the relevance and importance of considering both epigenome and transcriptome to evaluate the costs and benefits of large-scale supplementation programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeva Leitwein
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6.,Centre pour la Biodiversité Marine, l'exploitation et la Conservation, Université de Montpellier, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ifremer, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Palavas-les-Flots, France
| | - Kyle Wellband
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6.,Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Science Enterprise Centre, West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V7V 1N6
| | - Hugo Cayuela
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6.,Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.,Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-769622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jérémy Le Luyer
- Ifremer, UMR 241 Ecosystèmes Insulaires Océaniens, Centre Ifremer du Pacifique, BP 49, 98719 Tahiti, Polynésie française
| | - Kayla Mohns
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, V9T 6N7
| | - Ruth Withler
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada, V9T 6N7
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada, G1V 0A6
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5
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Leitwein M, Laporte M, Le Luyer J, Mohns K, Normandeau E, Withler R, Bernatchez L. Epigenomic modifications induced by hatchery rearing persist in germ line cells of adult salmon after their oceanic migration. Evol Appl 2021; 14:2402-2413. [PMID: 34745334 PMCID: PMC8549618 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Human activities induce direct or indirect selection pressure on natural population and may ultimately affect population's integrity. While numerous conservation programs aimed to minimize human-induced genomic variation, human-induced environmental variation may generate epigenomic variation potentially affecting fitness through phenotypic modifications. Major questions remain pertaining to how much epigenomic variation arises from environmental heterogeneity, whether this variation can persist throughout life, and whether it can be transmitted across generations. We performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on the sperm of genetically indistinguishable hatchery and wild-born migrating adults of Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) from two geographically distant rivers at different epigenome scales. Our results showed that coupling WGBS with fine-scale analyses (local and chromosomal) allows the detection of parallel early-life hatchery-induced epimarks that differentiate wild from hatchery-reared salmon. Four chromosomes and 183 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) displayed a significant signal of methylation differentiation between hatchery and wild-born Coho salmon. Moreover, those early-life epimarks persisted in germ line cells despite about 1.5 year spent in the ocean following release from hatchery, opening the possibility for transgenerational inheritance. Our results strengthen the hypothesis that epigenomic modifications environmentally induced during early-life development persist in germ cells of adults until reproduction, which could potentially impact their fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeva Leitwein
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Martin Laporte
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Jeremy Le Luyer
- IfremerIRDInstitut Louis‐MalardéUniv Polynésie Française, EIOTahitiFrance
| | - Kayla Mohns
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans CanadaPacific Biological StationNanaimoBCCanada
| | - Eric Normandeau
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
| | - Ruth Withler
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans CanadaPacific Biological StationNanaimoBCCanada
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS)Université LavalQuébecQCCanada
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6
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Mounger J, Ainouche ML, Bossdorf O, Cavé-Radet A, Li B, Parepa M, Salmon A, Yang J, Richards CL. Epigenetics and the success of invasive plants. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200117. [PMID: 33866809 PMCID: PMC8059582 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological invasions impose ecological and economic problems on a global scale, but also provide extraordinary opportunities for studying contemporary evolution. It is critical to understand the evolutionary processes that underly invasion success in order to successfully manage existing invaders, and to prevent future invasions. As successful invasive species sometimes are suspected to rapidly adjust to their new environments in spite of very low genetic diversity, we are obliged to re-evaluate genomic-level processes that translate into phenotypic diversity. In this paper, we review work that supports the idea that trait variation, within and among invasive populations, can be created through epigenetic or other non-genetic processes, particularly in clonal invaders where somatic changes can persist indefinitely. We consider several processes that have been implicated as adaptive in invasion success, focusing on various forms of 'genomic shock' resulting from exposure to environmental stress, hybridization and whole-genome duplication (polyploidy), and leading to various patterns of gene expression re-programming and epigenetic changes that contribute to phenotypic variation or even novelty. These mechanisms can contribute to transgressive phenotypes, including hybrid vigour and novel traits, and may thus help to understand the huge successes of some plant invaders, especially those that are genetically impoverished. This article is part of the theme issue 'How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannie Mounger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617, USA
| | - Malika L. Ainouche
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, OSUR, Université de Rennes 1, Campus Scientifique de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Armand Cavé-Radet
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, OSUR, Université de Rennes 1, Campus Scientifique de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Bo Li
- National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Madalin Parepa
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Armel Salmon
- UMR CNRS 6553 ECOBIO, OSUR, Université de Rennes 1, Campus Scientifique de Beaulieu, Rennes, France
| | - Ji Yang
- National Observations and Research Station for Wetland Ecosystems of the Yangtze Estuary, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200438, People's Republic of China
| | - Christina L. Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, 4202 E Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617, USA
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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7
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Brodie ED, Gregory B, Lisch D, Riddle NC. The epigenome and beyond: How does non-genetic inheritance change our view of evolution? Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:2199-2207. [PMID: 34028538 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Evidence from across the tree of life suggests that epigenetic inheritance is more common than previously thought. If epigenetic inheritance is indeed as common as the data suggest, this finding has potentially important implications for evolutionary theory and our understanding of how evolution and adaptation progress. However, we currently lack an understanding of how common various epigenetic inheritance types are, and how they impact phenotypes. In this perspective, we review the open questions that need to be addressed to fully integrate epigenetic inheritance into evolutionary theory and to develop reliable predictive models for phenotypic evolution. We posit that addressing these challenges will require the collaboration of biologists from different disciplines and a focus on the exploration of data and phenomena without preconceived limits on potential mechanisms or outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmund D Brodie
- Department of Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
| | - Brian Gregory
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Damon Lisch
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Nicole C Riddle
- Department of Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
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8
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Epigenetics and epigenomics: underlying mechanisms, relevance, and implications in crop improvement. Funct Integr Genomics 2020; 20:739-761. [PMID: 33089419 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-020-00756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics is defined as changes in gene expression that are not associated with changes in DNA sequence but due to the result of methylation of DNA and post-translational modifications to the histones. These epigenetic modifications are known to regulate gene expression by bringing changes in the chromatin state, which underlies plant development and shapes phenotypic plasticity in responses to the environment and internal cues. This review articulates the role of histone modifications and DNA methylation in modulating biotic and abiotic stresses, as well as crop improvement. It also highlights the possibility of engineering epigenomes and epigenome-based predictive models for improving agronomic traits.
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9
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Genetic and Methylome Variation in Turkish Brachypodium Distachyon Accessions Differentiate Two Geographically Distinct Subpopulations. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186700. [PMID: 32933168 PMCID: PMC7556024 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is a non-domesticated model grass species that can be used to test if variation in genetic sequence or methylation are linked to environmental differences. To assess this, we collected seeds from 12 sites within five climatically distinct regions of Turkey. Seeds from each region were grown under standardized growth conditions in the UK to preserve methylated sequence variation. At six weeks following germination, leaves were sampled and assessed for genomic and DNA methylation variation. In a follow-up experiment, phenomic approaches were used to describe plant growth and drought responses. Genome sequencing and population structure analysis suggested three ancestral clusters across the Mediterranean, two of which were geographically separated in Turkey into coastal and central subpopulations. Phenotypic analyses showed that the coastal subpopulation tended to exhibit relatively delayed flowering and the central, increased drought tolerance as indicated by reduced yellowing. Genome-wide methylation analyses in GpC, CHG and CHH contexts also showed variation which aligned with the separation into coastal and central subpopulations. The climate niche modelling of both subpopulations showed a significant influence from the “Precipitation in the Driest Quarter” on the central subpopulation and “Temperature of the Coldest Month” on the coastal subpopulation. Our work demonstrates genetic diversity and variation in DNA methylation in Turkish accessions of Brachypodium that may be associated with climate variables and the molecular basis of which will feature in ongoing analyses.
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10
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Müller C, Bräutigam A, Eilers E, Junker R, Schnitzler JP, Steppuhn A, Unsicker S, van Dam N, Weisser W, Wittmann M. Ecology and Evolution of Intraspecific Chemodiversity of Plants. RESEARCH IDEAS AND OUTCOMES 2020. [DOI: 10.3897/rio.6.e49810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
An extraordinarily high intraspecific chemical diversity, i.e. chemodiversity, has been found in several plant species, of which some are of major ecological or economic relevance. Moreover, even within an individual plant there is substantial chemodiversity among tissues and across seasons. This chemodiversity likely has pronounced ecological effects on plant mutualists and antagonists, associated foodwebs and, ultimately, biodiversity. Surprisingly, studies on interactions between plants and their herbivores or pollinators often neglect plant chemistry as a level of diversity and phenotypic variation. The main aim of this Research Unit (RU) is to understand the emergence and maintenance of intraspecific chemodiversity in plants. We address the following central questions:
1) How does plant chemodiversity vary across levels, i.e., within individuals, among individuals within populations, and among populations?
2) What are the ecological consequences of intraspecific plant chemodiversity?
3) How is plant chemodiversity genetically determined and maintained?
By combining field and laboratory studies with metabolomics, transcriptomics, genetic tools, statistical data analysis and modelling, we aim to understand causes and consequences of plant chemodiversity and elucidate its impacts on the interactions of plants with their biotic environment. Furthermore, we want to identify general principles, which hold across different species, and develop meaningful measures to describe the fascinating diversity of defence chemicals in plants. These tasks require integrated scientific collaboration of experts in experimental and theoretical ecology, including chemical and molecular ecology, (bio)chemistry and evolution.
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11
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Hufford MB, Berny Mier Y Teran JC, Gepts P. Crop Biodiversity: An Unfinished Magnum Opus of Nature. ANNUAL REVIEW OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2019; 70:727-751. [PMID: 31035827 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-arplant-042817-040240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Crop biodiversity is one of the major inventions of humanity through the process of domestication. It is also an essential resource for crop improvement to adapt agriculture to ever-changing conditions like global climate change and consumer preferences. Domestication and the subsequent evolution under cultivation have profoundly shaped the genetic architecture of this biodiversity. In this review, we highlight recent advances in our understanding of crop biodiversity. Topics include the reduction of genetic diversity during domestication and counteracting factors, a discussion of the relationship between parallel phenotypic and genotypic evolution, the role of plasticity in genotype × environment interactions, and the important role subsistence farmers play in actively maintaining crop biodiversity and in participatory breeding. Linking genotype and phenotype remains the holy grail of crop biodiversity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew B Hufford
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011-1020, USA;
| | | | - Paul Gepts
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, California 95616-8780, USA; ,
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12
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Liégard B, Baillet V, Etcheverry M, Joseph E, Lariagon C, Lemoine J, Evrard A, Colot V, Gravot A, Manzanares‐Dauleux MJ, Jubault M. Quantitative resistance to clubroot infection mediated by transgenerational epigenetic variation in Arabidopsis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 222:468-479. [PMID: 30393890 PMCID: PMC6587750 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2018] [Accepted: 10/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Quantitative disease resistance, often influenced by environmental factors, is thought to be the result of DNA sequence variants segregating at multiple loci. However, heritable differences in DNA methylation, so-called transgenerational epigenetic variants, also could contribute to quantitative traits. Here, we tested this possibility using the well-characterized quantitative resistance of Arabidopsis to clubroot, a Brassica major disease caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae. For that, we used the epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRIL) derived from the cross ddm1-2 × Col-0, which show extensive epigenetic variation but limited DNA sequence variation. Quantitative loci under epigenetic control (QTLepi ) mapping was carried out on 123 epiRIL infected with P. brassicae and using various disease-related traits. EpiRIL displayed a wide range of continuous phenotypic responses. Twenty QTLepi were detected across the five chromosomes, with a bona fide epigenetic origin for 16 of them. The effect of five QTLepi was dependent on temperature conditions. Six QTLepi co-localized with previously identified clubroot resistance genes and QTL in Arabidopsis. Co-localization of clubroot resistance QTLepi with previously detected DNA-based QTL reveals a complex model in which a combination of allelic and epiallelic variations interacts with the environment to lead to variation in clubroot quantitative resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Liégard
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
| | - Victoire Baillet
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS)Ecole Normale SupérieureCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)F‐75005ParisFrance
| | - Mathilde Etcheverry
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS)Ecole Normale SupérieureCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)F‐75005ParisFrance
| | - Evens Joseph
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
| | | | - Jocelyne Lemoine
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
| | - Aurélie Evrard
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
| | - Vincent Colot
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS)Ecole Normale SupérieureCentre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)F‐75005ParisFrance
| | - Antoine Gravot
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
| | | | - Mélanie Jubault
- IGEPPINRAAGROCAMPUS OUESTUniversité de RennesF‐35000RennesFrance
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13
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Laitinen RAE, Nikoloski Z. Genetic basis of plasticity in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2019; 70:739-745. [PMID: 30445526 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/ery404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The ability of an organism to change its phenotype in response to different environments, termed plasticity, is a particularly important characteristic to enable sessile plants to adapt to rapid changes in their surroundings. Plasticity is a quantitative trait that can provide a fitness advantage and mitigate negative effects due to environmental perturbations. Yet, its genetic basis is not fully understood. Alongside technological limitations, the main challenge in studying plasticity has been the selection of suitable approaches for quantification of phenotypic plasticity. Here, we propose a categorization of the existing quantitative measures of phenotypic plasticity into nominal and relative approaches. Moreover, we highlight the recent advances in the understanding of the genetic architecture underlying phenotypic plasticity in plants. We identify four pillars for future research to uncover the genetic basis of phenotypic plasticity, with emphasis on development of computational approaches and theories. These developments will allow us to perform specific experiments to validate the causal genes for plasticity and to discover their role in plant fitness and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roosa A E Laitinen
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Zoran Nikoloski
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg, Potsdam, Germany
- Bioinformatics group, Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Furci L, Jain R, Stassen J, Berkowitz O, Whelan J, Roquis D, Baillet V, Colot V, Johannes F, Ton J. Identification and characterisation of hypomethylated DNA loci controlling quantitative resistance in Arabidopsis. eLife 2019; 8:40655. [PMID: 30608232 PMCID: PMC6342528 DOI: 10.7554/elife.40655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Variation in DNA methylation enables plants to inherit traits independently of changes to DNA sequence. Here, we have screened an Arabidopsis population of epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRILs) for resistance against Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa). These lines share the same genetic background, but show variation in heritable patterns of DNA methylation. We identified four epigenetic quantitative trait loci (epiQTLs) that provide quantitative resistance without reducing plant growth or resistance to other (a)biotic stresses. Phenotypic characterisation and RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that Hpa-resistant epiRILs are primed to activate defence responses at the relatively early stages of infection. Collectively, our results show that hypomethylation at selected pericentromeric regions is sufficient to provide quantitative disease resistance, which is associated with genome-wide priming of defence-related genes. Based on comparisons of global gene expression and DNA methylation between the wild-type and resistant epiRILs, we discuss mechanisms by which the pericentromeric epiQTLs could regulate the defence-related transcriptome. In plants, animals and microbes genetic information is encoded by DNA, which are made up of sequences of building blocks, called nucleotide bases. These sequences can be separated into sections known as genes that each encode specific traits. It was previously thought that only changes to the sequence of bases in a DNA molecule could alter the traits passed on to future generations. However, it has recently become clear that some traits can also be inherited through modifications to the DNA that do not alter its sequence. One such modification is to attach a tag, known as a methyl group, to a nucleotide base known as cytosine. These methyl tags can be added to, or removed from, DNA to create different patterns of methylation. Previous studies have shown that plants whose DNA is less methylated than normal (‘hypo-methylated’) are more resistant to plant diseases. However, the location and identity of the hypo-methylated DNA regions controlling this resistance remained unknown. To address this problem, Furci, Jain et al. studied how DNA methylation in a small weed known as Arabidopsis thaliana affects how well the plants can resist a disease known as downy mildew. Furci, Jain et al. studied a population of over 100 A. thaliana lines that have the same DNA sequences but different patterns of DNA methylation. The experiments identified four DNA locations that were less methylated in lines with enhanced resistance to downy mildew. Importantly, this form of resistance did not appear to reduce how well the plants grew, or make them less able to resist other diseases or environmental stresses. The results of further experiments suggested that reduced methylation at the four DNA regions prime the plant’s immune system, enabling a faster and stronger activation of a multitude of defence genes across the genome after attack by downy mildew. The next steps following on from this work are to investigate exactly how the four DNA regions with reduced methylation can prime so many different defence genes in the plant. Further research is also needed to determine whether it is possible to breed crop plants with lower levels of methylation at specific DNA locations to improve disease resistance, but without decreasing the amount and quality of food produced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Furci
- P3 Centre for Plant and Soil Biology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ritushree Jain
- P3 Centre for Plant and Soil Biology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Joost Stassen
- P3 Centre for Plant and Soil Biology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Berkowitz
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - James Whelan
- Department of Animal, Plant and Soil Science, ARC Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - David Roquis
- Department of Plant Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.,Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Victoire Baillet
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Colot
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), PSL Université Paris, Paris, France
| | - Frank Johannes
- Department of Plant Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany.,Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Garching, Germany
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- P3 Centre for Plant and Soil Biology, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Alonso C, Ramos‐Cruz D, Becker C. The role of plant epigenetics in biotic interactions. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2019; 221:731-737. [PMID: 30156271 PMCID: PMC6726468 DOI: 10.1111/nph.15408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/22/2018] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 731 I. Biotic interactions in the context of genetic, epigenetic and environmental diversity 731 II. Biotic interactions affect epigenetic configuration 732 III. Plant epigenetic configuration influences biotic interactions 733 IV. Epigenetic memory in the context of biotic interactions 734 V. Conclusions and future research 735 Acknowledgements 735 Author contributions 735 References 735 SUMMARY: Plants are hubs of a wide range of biotic interactions with mutualist and antagonist animals, microbes and neighboring plants. Because the quality and intensity of those relationships can change over time, a fast and reversible response to stress is required. Here, we review recent studies on the role of epigenetic factors such as DNA methylation and histone modifications in modulating plant biotic interactions, and discuss the state of knowledge regarding their potential role in memory and priming. Moreover, we provide an overview of strategies to investigate the contribution of epigenetics to environmentally induced phenotypic changes in an ecological context, highlighting possible transitions from whole-genome high-resolution analyses in plant model organisms to informative reduced representation analyses in genomically less accessible species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conchita Alonso
- Estación Biológica de DoñanaConsejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)Av. Américo Vespucio 26Sevilla41092Spain
| | - Daniela Ramos‐Cruz
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant BiologyAustrian Academy of SciencesVienna Biocenter (VBC)Dr. Bohr Gasse 3Vienna1030Austria
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant BiologyAustrian Academy of SciencesVienna Biocenter (VBC)Dr. Bohr Gasse 3Vienna1030Austria
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Pignatta D, Novitzky K, Satyaki PRV, Gehring M. A variably imprinted epiallele impacts seed development. PLoS Genet 2018; 14:e1007469. [PMID: 30395602 PMCID: PMC6237401 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 11/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The contribution of epigenetic variation to phenotypic variation is unclear. Imprinted genes, because of their strong association with epigenetic modifications, represent an opportunity for the discovery of such phenomena. In mammals and flowering plants, a subset of genes are expressed from only one parental allele in a process called gene imprinting. Imprinting is associated with differential DNA methylation and chromatin modifications between parental alleles. In flowering plants imprinting occurs in a seed tissue - endosperm. Proper endosperm development is essential for the production of viable seeds. We previously showed that in Arabidopsis thaliana intraspecific imprinting variation is correlated with naturally occurring DNA methylation polymorphisms. Here, we investigated the mechanisms and function of allele-specific imprinting of the class IV homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-ZIP) transcription factor HDG3. In imprinted strains, HDG3 is expressed primarily from the methylated paternally inherited allele. We manipulated the methylation state of endogenous HDG3 in a non-imprinted strain and demonstrated that methylation of a proximal transposable element is sufficient to promote HDG3 expression and imprinting. Gain of HDG3 imprinting was associated with earlier endosperm cellularization and changes in seed weight. These results indicate that epigenetic variation alone is sufficient to explain imprinting variation and demonstrate that epialleles can underlie variation in seed development phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Pignatta
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Katherine Novitzky
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - P. R. V. Satyaki
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Mary Gehring
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Luikart G, Kardos M, Hand BK, Rajora OP, Aitken SN, Hohenlohe PA. Population Genomics: Advancing Understanding of Nature. POPULATION GENOMICS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/13836_2018_60] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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