1
|
Jiang J, Gwee J, Fang J, Leichter SM, Sanders D, Ji X, Song J, Zhong X. Substrate specificity and protein stability drive the divergence of plant-specific DNA methyltransferases. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.11.603080. [PMID: 39071332 PMCID: PMC11275764 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.11.603080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism essential for transposon silencing and genome integrity. Across evolution, the substrates of DNA methylation have diversified between kingdoms to account for genome complexity. In plants, Chromomethylase3 (CMT3) and CMT2 are the major methyltransferases mediating CHG and CHH methylation, respectively. However, how these two enzymes diverge on substrate specificities during evolution remains unknown. Here, we reveal that CMT2 originates from a duplication of the evolutionarily more ancient CMT3 in flowering plants. Lacking a key arginine residue recognizing CHG in CMT2 impairs its CHG methylation activity in most flowering plants. An engineered V1200R mutation empowers CMT2 to restore both CHG and CHH methylation in Arabidopsis cmt2cmt3 mutant, testifying a loss-of-function effect for CMT2 after ∼200 million years of evolution. Interestingly, CMT2 has evolved a long and unstructured N-terminus critical for balancing protein stability, especially under heat stress. Furthermore, CMT2 N-terminus is plastic and can be tolerant to various natural mutations. Together, this study reveals the mechanism of chromomethylase divergence for context-specific DNA methylation in plants and sheds important lights on DNA methylation evolution and function.
Collapse
|
2
|
Osakabe A, Takizawa Y, Horikoshi N, Hatazawa S, Negishi L, Sato S, Berger F, Kakutani T, Kurumizaka H. Molecular and structural basis of the chromatin remodeling activity by Arabidopsis DDM1. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5187. [PMID: 38992002 PMCID: PMC11239853 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49465-w] [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: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The histone H2A variant H2A.W occupies transposons and thus prevents access to them in Arabidopsis thaliana. H2A.W is deposited by the chromatin remodeler DDM1, which also promotes the accessibility of chromatin writers to heterochromatin by an unknown mechanism. To shed light on this question, we solve the cryo-EM structures of nucleosomes containing H2A and H2A.W, and the DDM1-H2A.W nucleosome complex. These structures show that the DNA end flexibility of the H2A nucleosome is higher than that of the H2A.W nucleosome. In the DDM1-H2A.W nucleosome complex, DDM1 binds to the N-terminal tail of H4 and the nucleosomal DNA and increases the DNA end flexibility of H2A.W nucleosomes. Based on these biochemical and structural results, we propose that DDM1 counters the low accessibility caused by nucleosomes containing H2A.W to enable the maintenance of repressive epigenetic marks on transposons and prevent their activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akihisa Osakabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.
| | - Yoshimasa Takizawa
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Horikoshi
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Suguru Hatazawa
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Lumi Negishi
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shoko Sato
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Hitoshi Kurumizaka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
- Laboratory of Chromatin Structure and Function, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Baduel P, Sammarco I, Barrett R, Coronado‐Zamora M, Crespel A, Díez‐Rodríguez B, Fox J, Galanti D, González J, Jueterbock A, Wootton E, Harney E. The evolutionary consequences of interactions between the epigenome, the genome and the environment. Evol Appl 2024; 17:e13730. [PMID: 39050763 PMCID: PMC11266121 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenome is the suite of interacting chemical marks and molecules that helps to shape patterns of development, phenotypic plasticity and gene regulation, in part due to its responsiveness to environmental stimuli. There is increasing interest in understanding the functional and evolutionary importance of this sensitivity under ecologically realistic conditions. Observations that epigenetic variation abounds in natural populations have prompted speculation that it may facilitate evolutionary responses to rapid environmental perturbations, such as those occurring under climate change. A frequent point of contention is whether epigenetic variants reflect genetic variation or are independent of it. The genome and epigenome often appear tightly linked and interdependent. While many epigenetic changes are genetically determined, the converse is also true, with DNA sequence changes influenced by the presence of epigenetic marks. Understanding how the epigenome, genome and environment interact with one another is therefore an essential step in explaining the broader evolutionary consequences of epigenomic variation. Drawing on results from experimental and comparative studies carried out in diverse plant and animal species, we synthesize our current understanding of how these factors interact to shape phenotypic variation in natural populations, with a focus on identifying similarities and differences between taxonomic groups. We describe the main components of the epigenome and how they vary within and between taxa. We review how variation in the epigenome interacts with genetic features and environmental determinants, with a focus on the role of transposable elements (TEs) in integrating the epigenome, genome and environment. And we look at recent studies investigating the functional and evolutionary consequences of these interactions. Although epigenetic differentiation in nature is likely often a result of drift or selection on stochastic epimutations, there is growing evidence that a significant fraction of it can be stably inherited and could therefore contribute to evolution independently of genetic change.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale SupérieurePSL University, CNRSParisFrance
| | - Iris Sammarco
- Institute of Botany of the Czech Academy of SciencesPrůhoniceCzechia
| | - Rowan Barrett
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | | | | | | | - Janay Fox
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Dario Galanti
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology (EvE)University of TuebingenTübingenGermany
| | | | - Alexander Jueterbock
- Algal and Microbial Biotechnology Division, Faculty of Biosciences and AquacultureNord UniversityBodøNorway
| | - Eric Wootton
- Redpath Museum and Department of BiologyMcGill UniversityMontrealCanada
| | - Ewan Harney
- Institute of Evolutionary BiologyCSIC, UPFBarcelonaSpain
- School of BiosciencesUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu P, Panda K, Edwards SA, Swanson R, Yi H, Pandesha P, Hung YH, Klaas G, Ye X, Collins MV, Renken KN, Gilbertson LA, Veena V, Hancock CN, Slotkin RK. Transposase-assisted target-site integration for efficient plant genome engineering. Nature 2024; 631:593-600. [PMID: 38926583 PMCID: PMC11254759 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07613-8] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The current technologies to place new DNA into specific locations in plant genomes are low frequency and error-prone, and this inefficiency hampers genome-editing approaches to develop improved crops1,2. Often considered to be genome 'parasites', transposable elements (TEs) evolved to insert their DNA seamlessly into genomes3-5. Eukaryotic TEs select their site of insertion based on preferences for chromatin contexts, which differ for each TE type6-9. Here we developed a genome engineering tool that controls the TE insertion site and cargo delivered, taking advantage of the natural ability of the TE to precisely excise and insert into the genome. Inspired by CRISPR-associated transposases that target transposition in a programmable manner in bacteria10-12, we fused the rice Pong transposase protein to the Cas9 or Cas12a programmable nucleases. We demonstrated sequence-specific targeted insertion (guided by the CRISPR gRNA) of enhancer elements, an open reading frame and a gene expression cassette into the genome of the model plant Arabidopsis. We then translated this system into soybean-a major global crop in need of targeted insertion technology. We have engineered a TE 'parasite' into a usable and accessible toolkit that enables the sequence-specific targeting of custom DNA into plant genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peng Liu
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kaushik Panda
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Seth A Edwards
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Ryan Swanson
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Hochul Yi
- Plant Transformation Facility, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Pratheek Pandesha
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
- Division of Biology and Biomedical Sciences, Washington University, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yu-Hung Hung
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Gerald Klaas
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xudong Ye
- Bayer Crop Science, St Louis, MO, USA
| | | | | | | | - Veena Veena
- Plant Transformation Facility, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - R Keith Slotkin
- Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St Louis, MO, USA.
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lin X, Yin J, Wang Y, Yao J, Li QQ, Latzel V, Bossdorf O, Zhang YY. Environment-induced heritable variations are common in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4615. [PMID: 38816460 PMCID: PMC11139905 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Parental or ancestral environments can induce heritable phenotypic changes, but whether such environment-induced heritable changes are a common phenomenon remains unexplored. Here, we subject 14 genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana to 10 different environmental treatments and observe phenotypic and genome-wide gene expression changes over four successive generations. We find that all treatments caused heritable phenotypic and gene expression changes, with a substantial proportion stably transmitted over all observed generations. Intriguingly, the susceptibility of a genotype to environmental inductions could be predicted based on the transposon abundance in the genome. Our study thus challenges the classic view that the environment only participates in the selection of heritable variation and suggests that the environment can play a significant role in generating of heritable variations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohe Lin
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Junjie Yin
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yifan Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Yao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Qingshun Q Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Biomedical Sciences, College of Dental Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Vit Latzel
- Institute of Botany of the CAS, Zamek 1, 252 43, Pruhonice, Czech Republic
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Institute of Evolution & Ecology, University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 5, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yuan-Ye Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Chu J, Newman J, Cho J. Molecular Mimicry of Transposable Elements in Plants. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2024:pcae058. [PMID: 38808931 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcae058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile DNA elements that are particularly abundant in the plant genomes. They have long been considered as junk DNA; however, a growing body of evidence suggests that TE insertions promote genetic diversity that is essential for the adaptive evolution of a species. Thus far, studies have mainly investigated the cis-acting regulatory roles of TEs generated by their insertions nearby or within the host genes. However, the trans-acting effects of TE-derived RNA and DNA remained obscure to date. TEs contain various regulatory elements within their sequences that can accommodate the binding of specific RNAs and proteins. Recently, it was suggested that some of these cellular regulators are shared between TEs and the host genes, and the competition for the common host factors underlies the fine-tuned developmental reprogramming. In this review, we will highlight and discuss the latest discoveries on the biological functions of plant TEs, with a particular focus on their competitive binding with specific developmental regulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chu
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, Beijing 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Josephine Newman
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Jungnam Cho
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Gravot A, Liégard B, Quadrana L, Veillet F, Aigu Y, Bargain T, Bénéjam J, Lariagon C, Lemoine J, Colot V, Manzanares-Dauleux MJ, Jubault M. Two adjacent NLR genes conferring quantitative resistance to clubroot disease in Arabidopsis are regulated by a stably inherited epiallelic variation. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100824. [PMID: 38268192 PMCID: PMC11121752 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100824] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Clubroot caused by the protist Plasmodiophora brassicae is a major disease affecting cultivated Brassicaceae. Using a combination of quantitative trait locus (QTL) fine mapping, CRISPR-Cas9 validation, and extensive analyses of DNA sequence and methylation patterns, we revealed that the two adjacent neighboring NLR (nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat) genes AT5G47260 and AT5G47280 cooperate in controlling broad-spectrum quantitative partial resistance to the root pathogen P. brassicae in Arabidopsis and that they are epigenetically regulated. The variation in DNA methylation is not associated with any nucleotide variation or any transposable element presence/absence variants and is stably inherited. Variations in DNA methylation at the Pb-At5.2 QTL are widespread across Arabidopsis accessions and correlate negatively with variations in expression of the two genes. Our study demonstrates that natural, stable, and transgenerationally inherited epigenetic variations can play an important role in shaping resistance to plant pathogens by modulating the expression of immune receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Gravot
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | - Benjamin Liégard
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | - Leandro Quadrana
- 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), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Florian Veillet
- IGEPP INRAE, Institut Agro, Université de Rennes, 29260 Ploudaniel, France
| | - Yoann Aigu
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | - Tristan Bargain
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | - Juliette Bénéjam
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France
| | | | - Jocelyne Lemoine
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, 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), 75005 Paris, France
| | | | - Mélanie Jubault
- IGEPP Institut Agro, INRAE, Université de Rennes, 35650 Le Rheu, France.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kirsch JM, Hryckowian AJ, Duerkop BA. A metagenomics pipeline reveals insertion sequence-driven evolution of the microbiota. Cell Host Microbe 2024; 32:739-754.e4. [PMID: 38565143 PMCID: PMC11081829 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Insertion sequence (IS) elements are mobile genetic elements in bacterial genomes that support adaptation. We developed a database of IS elements coupled to a computational pipeline that identifies IS element insertions in the microbiota. We discovered that diverse IS elements insert into the genomes of intestinal bacteria regardless of human host lifestyle. These insertions target bacterial accessory genes that aid in their adaptation to unique environmental conditions. Using IS expansion in Bacteroides, we show that IS activity leads to the insertion of "hot spots" in accessory genes. We show that IS insertions are stable and can be transferred between humans. Extreme environmental perturbations force IS elements to fall out of the microbiota, and many fail to rebound following homeostasis. Our work shows that IS elements drive bacterial genome diversification within the microbiota and establishes a framework for understanding how strain-level variation within the microbiota impacts human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M Kirsch
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Andrew J Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Breck A Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Sutherland CA, Prigozhin DM, Monroe JG, Krasileva KV. High allelic diversity in Arabidopsis NLRs is associated with distinct genomic features. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:2306-2322. [PMID: 38528170 PMCID: PMC11093987 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00122-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Plants rely on Nucleotide-binding, Leucine-rich repeat Receptors (NLRs) for pathogen recognition. Highly variable NLRs (hvNLRs) show remarkable intraspecies diversity, while their low-variability paralogs (non-hvNLRs) are conserved between ecotypes. At a population level, hvNLRs provide new pathogen-recognition specificities, but the association between allelic diversity and genomic and epigenomic features has not been established. Our investigation of NLRs in Arabidopsis Col-0 has revealed that hvNLRs show higher expression, less gene body cytosine methylation, and closer proximity to transposable elements than non-hvNLRs. hvNLRs show elevated synonymous and nonsynonymous nucleotide diversity and are in chromatin states associated with an increased probability of mutation. Diversifying selection maintains variability at a subset of codons of hvNLRs, while purifying selection maintains conservation at non-hvNLRs. How these features are established and maintained, and whether they contribute to the observed diversity of hvNLRs is key to understanding the evolution of plant innate immune receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chandler A Sutherland
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Daniil M Prigozhin
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - J Grey Monroe
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
| | - Ksenia V Krasileva
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Horvath R, Minadakis N, Bourgeois Y, Roulin AC. The evolution of transposable elements in Brachypodium distachyon is governed by purifying selection, while neutral and adaptive processes play a minor role. eLife 2024; 12:RP93284. [PMID: 38606833 PMCID: PMC11014726 DOI: 10.7554/elife.93284] [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] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding how plants adapt to changing environments and the potential contribution of transposable elements (TEs) to this process is a key question in evolutionary genomics. While TEs have recently been put forward as active players in the context of adaptation, few studies have thoroughly investigated their precise role in plant evolution. Here, we used the wild Mediterranean grass Brachypodium distachyon as a model species to identify and quantify the forces acting on TEs during the adaptation of this species to various conditions, across its entire geographic range. Using sequencing data from more than 320 natural B. distachyon accessions and a suite of population genomics approaches, we reveal that putatively adaptive TE polymorphisms are rare in wild B. distachyon populations. After accounting for changes in past TE activity, we show that only a small proportion of TE polymorphisms evolved neutrally (<10%), while the vast majority of them are under moderate purifying selection regardless of their distance to genes. TE polymorphisms should not be ignored when conducting evolutionary studies, as they can be linked to adaptation. However, our study clearly shows that while they have a large potential to cause phenotypic variation in B. distachyon, they are not favored during evolution and adaptation over other types of mutations (such as point mutations) in this species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Robert Horvath
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Nikolaos Minadakis
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| | - Yann Bourgeois
- DIADE, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, IRDMontpellierFrance
- University of PortsmouthPortsmouthUnited Kingdom
| | - Anne C Roulin
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of ZurichZurichSwitzerland
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang Y, Lee YCG. Blessing or curse: how the epigenetic resolution of host-transposable element conflicts shapes their evolutionary dynamics. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232775. [PMID: 38593848 PMCID: PMC11003778 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2775] [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: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are selfish genetic elements whose antagonistic interactions with hosts represent a common genetic conflict in eukaryotes. To resolve this conflict, hosts have widely adopted epigenetic silencing that deposits repressive marks at TEs. However, this mechanism is imperfect and fails to fully halt TE replication. Furthermore, TE epigenetic silencing can inadvertently spread repressive marks to adjacent functional sequences, a phenomenon considered a 'curse' of this conflict resolution. Here, we used forward simulations to explore how TE epigenetic silencing and its harmful side effects shape the evolutionary dynamics of TEs and their hosts. Our findings reveal that epigenetic silencing allows TEs and their hosts to stably coexist under a wide range of conditions, because the underlying molecular mechanisms give rise to copy-number dependency of the strength of TE silencing. Interestingly, contrary to intuitive expectations that TE epigenetic silencing should evolve to be as strong as possible, we found a selective benefit for modifier alleles that weaken TE silencing under biologically feasible conditions. These results reveal that the dual nature of TE epigenetic silencing, with both positive and negative effects, complicates its evolutionary trajectory and makes it challenging to determine whether TE epigenetic silencing is a 'blessing' or a 'curse'.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuheng Huang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Yuh Chwen G. Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Jiang J, Xu YC, Zhang ZQ, Chen JF, Niu XM, Hou XH, Li XT, Wang L, Zhang YE, Ge S, Guo YL. Forces driving transposable element load variation during Arabidopsis range expansion. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:840-862. [PMID: 38036296 PMCID: PMC10980350 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Genetic load refers to the accumulated and potentially life-threatening deleterious mutations in populations. Understanding the mechanisms underlying genetic load variation of transposable element (TE) insertion, a major large-effect mutation, during range expansion is an intriguing question in biology. Here, we used 1,115 global natural accessions of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) to study the driving forces of TE load variation during its range expansion. TE load increased with range expansion, especially in the recently established Yangtze River basin population. Effective population size, which explains 62.0% of the variance in TE load, high transposition rate, and selective sweeps contributed to TE accumulation in the expanded populations. We genetically mapped and identified multiple candidate causal genes and TEs, and revealed the genetic architecture of TE load variation. Overall, this study reveals the variation in TE genetic load during Arabidopsis expansion and highlights the causes of TE load variation from the perspectives of both population genetics and quantitative genetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juan Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong-Chao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Zhi-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jia-Fu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Min Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xing-Hui Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
| | - Xin-Tong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Li Wang
- Agricultural Synthetic Biology Center, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yong E Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents & Key Laboratory of the Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Song Ge
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ya-Long Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
- China National Botanical Garden, Beijing 100093, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zicola J. Transposable element variation in Arabidopsis: Far Eastern accessions are loaded up. THE PLANT CELL 2024; 36:797-798. [PMID: 38079207 PMCID: PMC10980334 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Johan Zicola
- Assistant Features Editor, The Plant Cell, American Society of Plant Biologists
- Department of Crop Sciences & Center for Integrated Breeding Research, The University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Gozashti L, Hartl DL, Corbett-Detig R. Universal signatures of transposable element compartmentalization across eukaryotic genomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.17.562820. [PMID: 38585780 PMCID: PMC10996525 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.17.562820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The evolutionary mechanisms that drive the emergence of genome architecture remain poorly understood but can now be assessed with unprecedented power due to the massive accumulation of genome assemblies spanning phylogenetic diversity1,2. Transposable elements (TEs) are a rich source of large-effect mutations since they directly and indirectly drive genomic structural variation and changes in gene expression3. Here, we demonstrate universal patterns of TE compartmentalization across eukaryotic genomes spanning ~1.7 billion years of evolution, in which TEs colocalize with gene families under strong predicted selective pressure for dynamic evolution and involved in specific functions. For non-pathogenic species these genes represent families involved in defense, sensory perception and environmental interaction, whereas for pathogenic species, TE-compartmentalized genes are highly enriched for pathogenic functions. Many TE-compartmentalized gene families display signatures of positive selection at the molecular level. Furthermore, TE-compartmentalized genes exhibit an excess of high-frequency alleles for polymorphic TE insertions in fruit fly populations. We postulate that these patterns reflect selection for adaptive TE insertions as well as TE-associated structural variants. This process may drive the emergence of a shared TE-compartmentalized genome architecture across diverse eukaryotic lineages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Landen Gozashti
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel L. Hartl
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Russell Corbett-Detig
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- UC Santa Cruz Genomics Institute, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abraham LN, Oggenfuss U, Croll D. Population-level transposable element expression dynamics influence trait evolution in a fungal crop pathogen. mBio 2024; 15:e0284023. [PMID: 38349152 PMCID: PMC10936205 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02840-23] [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: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid adaptive evolution of microbes is driven by strong selection pressure acting on genetic variation. How adaptive genetic variation is generated within species and how such variation influences phenotypic trait expression is often not well understood though. We focused on the recent activity of transposable elements (TEs) using deep population genomics and transcriptomics analyses of a fungal plant pathogen with a highly active content of TEs in the genome. Zymoseptoria tritici causes one of the most damaging diseases on wheat, with recent adaptation to the host and environment being facilitated by TE-associated mutations. We obtained genomic and RNA-sequencing data from 146 isolates collected from a single wheat field. We established a genome-wide map of TE insertion polymorphisms in the population by analyzing recent TE insertions among individuals. We quantified the locus-specific transcription of individual TE copies and found considerable population variation at individual TE loci in the population. About 20% of all TE copies show transcription in the genome suggesting that genomic defenses such as repressive epigenetic marks and repeat-induced polymorphisms are at least partially ineffective at preventing the proliferation of TEs in the genome. A quarter of recent TE insertions are associated with expression variation of neighboring genes providing broad potential to influence trait expression. We indeed found that TE insertions are likely responsible for variation in virulence on the host and potentially diverse components of secondary metabolite production. Our large-scale transcriptomics study emphasizes how TE-derived polymorphisms segregate even in individual microbial populations and can broadly underpin trait variation in pathogens.IMPORTANCEPathogens can rapidly adapt to new hosts, antimicrobials, or changes in the environment. Adaptation arises often from mutations in the genome; however, how such variation is generated remains poorly understood. We investigated the most dynamic regions of the genome of Zymoseptoria tritici, a major fungal pathogen of wheat. We focused on the transcription of transposable elements. A large proportion of the transposable elements not only show signatures of potential activity but are also variable within a single population of the pathogen. We find that this variation in activity is likely influencing many important traits of the pathogen. Hence, our work provides insights into how a microbial species can adapt over the shortest time periods based on the activity of transposable elements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leen Nanchira Abraham
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Oggenfuss
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Croll
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Genetics, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kirsch JM, Hryckowian AJ, Duerkop BA. A metagenomics pipeline reveals insertion sequence-driven evolution of the microbiota. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.06.561241. [PMID: 37873088 PMCID: PMC10592638 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.06.561241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Insertion sequence (IS) elements are mobile genetic elements in bacterial genomes that support adaptation. We developed a database of IS elements coupled to a computational pipeline that identifies IS element insertions in the microbiota. We discovered that diverse IS elements insert into the genomes of intestinal bacteria regardless of human host lifestyle. These insertions target bacterial accessory genes that aid in their adaptation to unique environmental conditions. Using IS expansion in Bacteroides, we show that IS activity leads to insertion "hot spots" in accessory genes. We show that IS insertions are stable and can be transferred between humans. Extreme environmental perturbations force IS elements to fall out of the microbiota and many fail to rebound following homeostasis. Our work shows that IS elements drive bacterial genome diversification within the microbiota and establishes a framework for understanding how strain level variation within the microbiota impacts human health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua M. Kirsch
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| | - Andrew J. Hryckowian
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, Wisconsin, 53706, USA
| | - Breck A. Duerkop
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado - Anschutz Medical Campus, School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, 80045, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Thieme M, Minadakis N, Himber C, Keller B, Xu W, Rutowicz K, Matteoli C, Böhrer M, Rymen B, Laudencia-Chingcuanco D, Vogel JP, Sibout R, Stritt C, Blevins T, Roulin AC. Transposition of HOPPLA in siRNA-deficient plants suggests a limited effect of the environment on retrotransposon mobility in Brachypodium distachyon. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011200. [PMID: 38470914 PMCID: PMC10959353 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011200] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) are powerful mutagens regarded as a major source of genetic novelty and important drivers of evolution. Yet, the uncontrolled and potentially selfish proliferation of LTR-RTs can lead to deleterious mutations and genome instability, with large fitness costs for their host. While population genomics data suggest that an ongoing LTR-RT mobility is common in many species, the understanding of their dual role in evolution is limited. Here, we harness the genetic diversity of 320 sequenced natural accessions of the Mediterranean grass Brachypodium distachyon to characterize how genetic and environmental factors influence plant LTR-RT dynamics in the wild. When combining a coverage-based approach to estimate global LTR-RT copy number variations with mobilome-sequencing of nine accessions exposed to eight different stresses, we find little evidence for a major role of environmental factors in LTR-RT accumulations in B. distachyon natural accessions. Instead, we show that loss of RNA polymerase IV (Pol IV), which mediates RNA-directed DNA methylation in plants, results in high transcriptional and transpositional activities of RLC_BdisC024 (HOPPLA) LTR-RT family elements, and that these effects are not stress-specific. This work supports findings indicating an ongoing mobility in B. distachyon and reveals that host RNA-directed DNA methylation rather than environmental factors controls their mobility in this wild grass model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Thieme
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nikolaos Minadakis
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christophe Himber
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bettina Keller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Wenbo Xu
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kinga Rutowicz
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Calvin Matteoli
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marcel Böhrer
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Bart Rymen
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Debbie Laudencia-Chingcuanco
- United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service Western Regional Research Center, Albany, California, United States of America
| | - John P. Vogel
- United States Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Richard Sibout
- Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique Unité BIA- 1268 Biopolymères Interactions Assemblages Equipe Paroi Végétale et Polymères Pariétaux (PVPP), Nantes, France
| | - Christoph Stritt
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Todd Blevins
- Institut de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Anne C. Roulin
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Liu J, Zhong X. Epiallelic variation of non-coding RNA genes and their phenotypic consequences. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1375. [PMID: 38355746 PMCID: PMC10867003 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45771-5] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic variations contribute greatly to the phenotypic plasticity and diversity. Current functional studies on epialleles have predominantly focused on protein-coding genes, leaving the epialleles of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) genes largely understudied. Here, we uncover abundant DNA methylation variations of ncRNA genes and their significant correlations with plant adaptation among 1001 natural Arabidopsis accessions. Through genome-wide association study (GWAS), we identify large numbers of methylation QTL (methylQTL) that are independent of known DNA methyltransferases and enriched in specific chromatin states. Proximal methylQTL closely located to ncRNA genes have a larger effect on DNA methylation than distal methylQTL. We ectopically tether a DNA methyltransferase MQ1v to miR157a by CRISPR-dCas9 and show de novo establishment of DNA methylation accompanied with decreased miR157a abundance and early flowering. These findings provide important insights into the genetic basis of epigenetic variations and highlight the contribution of epigenetic variations of ncRNA genes to plant phenotypes and diversity.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Lanciano S, Philippe C, Sarkar A, Pratella D, Domrane C, Doucet AJ, van Essen D, Saccani S, Ferry L, Defossez PA, Cristofari G. Locus-level L1 DNA methylation profiling reveals the epigenetic and transcriptional interplay between L1s and their integration sites. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100498. [PMID: 38309261 PMCID: PMC10879037 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100498] [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: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Long interspersed element 1 (L1) retrotransposons are implicated in human disease and evolution. Their global activity is repressed by DNA methylation, but deciphering the regulation of individual copies has been challenging. Here, we combine short- and long-read sequencing to unveil L1 methylation heterogeneity across cell types, families, and individual loci and elucidate key principles involved. We find that the youngest primate L1 families are specifically hypomethylated in pluripotent stem cells and the placenta but not in most tumors. Locally, intronic L1 methylation is intimately associated with gene transcription. Conversely, the L1 methylation state can propagate to the proximal region up to 300 bp. This phenomenon is accompanied by the binding of specific transcription factors, which drive the expression of L1 and chimeric transcripts. Finally, L1 hypomethylation alone is typically insufficient to trigger L1 expression due to redundant silencing pathways. Our results illuminate the epigenetic and transcriptional interplay between retrotransposons and their host genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lanciano
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Claude Philippe
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Arpita Sarkar
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - David Pratella
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Cécilia Domrane
- University Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien J Doucet
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Dominic van Essen
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Simona Saccani
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France
| | - Laure Ferry
- University Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, Paris, France
| | | | - Gael Cristofari
- University Cote d'Azur, INSERM, CNRS, Institute for Research on Cancer and Aging of Nice (IRCAN), Nice, France.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Cranz-Mileva S, Reilly E, Chalhoub N, Patel R, Atanassova T, Cao W, Ellison C, Zaratiegui M. Transposon Removal Reveals Their Adaptive Fitness Contribution. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae010. [PMID: 38245838 PMCID: PMC10836971 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae010] [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: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements are molecular parasites that persist in their host genome by generating new copies to outpace natural selection. Transposable elements exert a large influence on host genome evolution, in some cases providing adaptive changes. Here we measure the fitness effect of the transposable element insertions in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe type strain by removing all insertions of its only native transposable element family, the long terminal repeat retrotransposon Tf2. We show that Tf2 elements provide a positive fitness contribution to its host. Tf2 ablation results in changes to the regulation of a mitochondrial gene and, consistently, the fitness effect are sensitive to growth conditions. We propose that Tf2 influences host fitness in a directed manner by dynamically rewiring the transcriptional response to metabolic stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Cranz-Mileva
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Eve Reilly
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Noor Chalhoub
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Rohan Patel
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Tania Atanassova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Weihuan Cao
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Christopher Ellison
- Department of Genetics, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Mikel Zaratiegui
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Wang L, Li H, Lei Z, Jeong DH, Cho J. The CARBON CATABOLITE REPRESSION 4A-mediated RNA deadenylation pathway acts on the transposon RNAs that are not regulated by small RNAs. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024; 241:1636-1645. [PMID: 38009859 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19435] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are mobile genetic elements that can impair the host genome stability and integrity. It has been well documented that activated transposons in plants are suppressed by small interfering (si) RNAs. However, transposon repression by the cytoplasmic RNA surveillance system is unknown. Here, we show that mRNA deadenylation is critical for controlling transposons in Arabidopsis. Trimming of poly(A) tail is a rate-limiting step that precedes the RNA decay and is primarily mediated by the CARBON CATABOLITE REPRESSION 4 (CCR4)-NEGATIVE ON TATA-LESS (NOT) complex. We found that the loss of CCR4a leads to strong derepression and mobilization of TEs in Arabidopsis. Intriguingly, CCR4a regulates a largely distinct set of TEs from those controlled by RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase 6 (RDR6), a key enzyme that produces cytoplasmic siRNAs. This indicates that the cytoplasmic RNA quality control mechanism targets the TEs that are poorly recognized by the previously well-characterized RDR6-mediated pathway, and thereby augments the host genome stability. Our study suggests a hitherto unknown mechanism for transposon repression mediated by RNA deadenylation and unveils a complex nature of the host's strategy to maintain the genome integrity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hui Li
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zhen Lei
- National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Dong-Hoon Jeong
- Department of Life Science, Hallym University, Chuncheon, 24252, Korea
- Multidisciplinary Genome Institute, Hallym University, Chuncheon, 24252, Korea
| | - Jungnam Cho
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Contreras-Garrido A, Galanti D, Movilli A, Becker C, Bossdorf O, Drost HG, Weigel D. Transposon dynamics in the emerging oilseed crop Thlaspi arvense. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011141. [PMID: 38295109 PMCID: PMC10881000 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011141] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome evolution is partly driven by the mobility of transposable elements (TEs) which often leads to deleterious effects, but their activity can also facilitate genetic novelty and catalyze local adaptation. We explored how the intraspecific diversity of TE polymorphisms might contribute to the broad geographic success and adaptive capacity of the emerging oil crop Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress). We classified the TE inventory based on a high-quality genome assembly, estimated the age of retrotransposon TE families and comprehensively assessed their mobilization potential. A survey of 280 accessions from 12 regions across the Northern hemisphere allowed us to quantify over 90,000 TE insertion polymorphisms (TIPs). Their distribution mirrored the genetic differentiation as measured by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The number and types of mobile TE families vary substantially across populations, but there are also shared patterns common to all accessions. Ty3/Athila elements are the main drivers of TE diversity in T. arvense populations, while a single Ty1/Alesia lineage might be particularly important for transcriptome divergence. The number of retrotransposon TIPs is associated with variation at genes related to epigenetic regulation, including an apparent knockout mutation in BROMODOMAIN AND ATPase DOMAIN-CONTAINING PROTEIN 1 (BRAT1), while DNA transposons are associated with variation at the HSP19 heat shock protein gene. We propose that the high rate of mobilization activity can be harnessed for targeted gene expression diversification, which may ultimately present a toolbox for the potential use of transposition in breeding and domestication of T. arvense.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dario Galanti
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Movilli
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Claude Becker
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, Martinsried, Germany
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Hajk-Georg Drost
- Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen,Tübingen, Germany
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Kirov I. Toward Transgene-Free Transposon-Mediated Biological Mutagenesis for Plant Breeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17054. [PMID: 38069377 PMCID: PMC10706983 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity is a key factor for plant breeding. The birth of novel genic and genomic variants is also crucial for plant adaptation in nature. Therefore, the genomes of almost all living organisms possess natural mutagenic mechanisms. Transposable elements (TEs) are a major mutagenic force driving genetic diversity in wild plants and modern crops. The relatively rare TE transposition activity during the thousand-year crop domestication process has led to the phenotypic diversity of many cultivated species. The utilization of TE mutagenesis by artificial and transient acceleration of their activity in a controlled mode is an attractive foundation for a novel type of mutagenesis called TE-mediated biological mutagenesis. Here, I focus on TEs as mutagenic sources for plant breeding and discuss existing and emerging transgene-free approaches for TE activation in plants. Furthermore, I also review the non-randomness of TE insertions in a plant genome and the molecular and epigenetic factors involved in shaping TE insertion preferences. Additionally, I discuss the molecular mechanisms that prevent TE transpositions in germline plant cells (e.g., meiocytes, pollen, egg and embryo cells, and shoot apical meristem), thereby reducing the chances of TE insertion inheritance. Knowledge of these mechanisms can expand the TE activation toolbox using novel gene targeting approaches. Finally, the challenges and future perspectives of plant populations with induced novel TE insertions (iTE plant collections) are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Kirov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia;
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Obermeyer S, Schrettenbrunner L, Stöckl R, Schwartz U, Grasser K. Different elongation factors distinctly modulate RNA polymerase II transcription in Arabidopsis. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11518-11533. [PMID: 37819035 PMCID: PMC10681736 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad825] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Various transcript elongation factors (TEFs) including modulators of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) activity and histone chaperones tune the efficiency of transcription in the chromatin context. TEFs are involved in establishing gene expression patterns during growth and development in Arabidopsis, while little is known about the genomic distribution of the TEFs and the way they facilitate transcription. We have mapped the genome-wide occupancy of the elongation factors SPT4-SPT5, PAF1C and FACT, relative to that of elongating RNAPII phosphorylated at residues S2/S5 within the carboxyterminal domain. The distribution of SPT4-SPT5 along transcribed regions closely resembles that of RNAPII-S2P, while the occupancy of FACT and PAF1C is rather related to that of RNAPII-S5P. Under transcriptionally challenging heat stress conditions, mutant plants lacking the corresponding TEFs are differentially impaired in transcript synthesis. Strikingly, in plants deficient in PAF1C, defects in transcription across intron/exon borders are observed that are cumulative along transcribed regions. Upstream of transcriptional start sites, the presence of FACT correlates with nucleosomal occupancy. Under stress conditions FACT is particularly required for transcriptional upregulation and to promote RNAPII transcription through +1 nucleosomes. Thus, Arabidopsis TEFs are differently distributed along transcribed regions, and are distinctly required during transcript elongation especially upon transcriptional reprogramming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Obermeyer
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Lukas Schrettenbrunner
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Richard Stöckl
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Schwartz
- NGS Analysis Centre, Biology and Pre-Clinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Klaus D Grasser
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Briffa A, Hollwey E, Shahzad Z, Moore JD, Lyons DB, Howard M, Zilberman D. Millennia-long epigenetic fluctuations generate intragenic DNA methylation variance in Arabidopsis populations. Cell Syst 2023; 14:953-967.e17. [PMID: 37944515 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.10.007] [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: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Methylation of CG dinucleotides (mCGs), which regulates eukaryotic genome functions, is epigenetically propagated by Dnmt1/MET1 methyltransferases. How mCG is established and transmitted across generations despite imperfect enzyme fidelity is unclear. Whether mCG variation in natural populations is governed by genetic or epigenetic inheritance also remains mysterious. Here, we show that MET1 de novo activity, which is enhanced by existing proximate methylation, seeds and stabilizes mCG in Arabidopsis thaliana genes. MET1 activity is restricted by active demethylation and suppressed by histone variant H2A.Z, producing localized mCG patterns. Based on these observations, we develop a stochastic mathematical model that precisely recapitulates mCG inheritance dynamics and predicts intragenic mCG patterns and their population-scale variation given only CG site spacing. Our results demonstrate that intragenic mCG establishment, inheritance, and variance constitute a unified epigenetic process, revealing that intragenic mCG undergoes large, millennia-long epigenetic fluctuations and can therefore mediate evolution on this timescale.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Briffa
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Elizabeth Hollwey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; Institute of Science and Technology, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria
| | - Zaigham Shahzad
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; Department of Life Sciences, Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Jonathan D Moore
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - David B Lyons
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Martin Howard
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
| | - Daniel Zilberman
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK; Institute of Science and Technology, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Merkulov P, Gvaramiya S, Dudnikov M, Komakhin R, Omarov M, Kocheshkova A, Konstantinov Z, Soloviev A, Karlov G, Divashuk M, Kirov I. Cas9-targeted Nanopore sequencing rapidly elucidates the transposition preferences and DNA methylation profiles of mobile elements in plants. JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 65:2242-2261. [PMID: 37555565 DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
Transposable element insertions (TEIs) are an important source of genomic innovation by contributing to plant adaptation, speciation, and the production of new varieties. The often large, complex plant genomes make identifying TEIs from short reads difficult and expensive. Moreover, rare somatic insertions that reflect mobilome dynamics are difficult to track using short reads. To address these challenges, we combined Cas9-targeted Nanopore sequencing (CANS) with the novel pipeline NanoCasTE to trace both genetically inherited and somatic TEIs in plants. We performed CANS of the EVADÉ (EVD) retrotransposon in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and rapidly obtained up to 40× sequence coverage. Analysis of hemizygous T-DNA insertion sites and genetically inherited insertions of the EVD transposon in the ddm1 (decrease in DNA methylation 1) genome uncovered the crucial role of DNA methylation in shaping EVD insertion preference. We also investigated somatic transposition events of the ONSEN transposon family, finding that genes that are downregulated during heat stress are preferentially targeted by ONSENs. Finally, we detected hypomethylation of novel somatic insertions for two ONSENs. CANS and NanoCasTE are effective tools for detecting TEIs and exploring mobilome organization in plants in response to stress and in different genetic backgrounds, as well as screening T-DNA insertion mutants and transgenic plants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Merkulov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia
| | - Sofya Gvaramiya
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Maxim Dudnikov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia
| | - Roman Komakhin
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Murad Omarov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Alina Kocheshkova
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Zakhar Konstantinov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Alexander Soloviev
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
- All-Russia Center for Plant Quarantine, Ramenski, 140150, Russia
- N.V. Tsitsin Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 127276, Russia
| | - Gennady Karlov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Mikhail Divashuk
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
| | - Ilya Kirov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Moscow, 127550, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Baduel P, Sasaki E. The genetic basis of epigenetic variation and its consequences for adaptation. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102409. [PMID: 37451221 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102409] [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: 04/17/2023] [Revised: 05/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Recent population genomic studies in plants have shed new light on natural epigenetic variation by identifying key genetic determinants, "trans modifiers," that influence epigenetic states genome-wide and their interplay with environmental factors. Here, we review this progress by focusing on the epigenetic control of transposition and life-cycle transitions to highlight the ecological consequences of this genetic architecture and its evolutionary significance. This knowledge provides new opportunities to address long-standing questions about the establishment of environment-associated epigenetic variation and its relevance in adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Baduel
- Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure (IBENS), ENS, PSL University, CNRS, 46 rue d'Ulm, Paris 75005, France
| | - Eriko Sasaki
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lawlor MA, Ellison CE. Evolutionary dynamics between transposable elements and their host genomes: mechanisms of suppression and escape. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 82:102092. [PMID: 37517354 PMCID: PMC10530431 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous among eukaryotic species. Their evolutionary persistence is likely due to a combination of tolerogenic, evasive/antagonistic, and cooperative interactions with their host genomes. Here, we focus on metazoan species and review recent advances related to the harmful effects of TE insertions, including how epigenetic effects and TE-derived RNAs can damage host cells. We discuss new findings related to host pathways that silence TEs, such as the piRNA pathway and the APOBEC3 and Kruppel-associated box zinc finger gene families. Finally, we summarize novel strategies used by TEs to evade host silencing, including the Y chromosome as a permissive niche for TE mobilization and TE counterdefense strategies to block host silencing factors.
Collapse
|
30
|
Rehman S, Ahmad Z, Ramakrishnan M, Kalendar R, Zhuge Q. Regulation of plant epigenetic memory in response to cold and heat stress: towards climate resilient agriculture. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:298. [PMID: 37700098 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01219-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved to adapt and grow in hot and cold climatic conditions. Some also adapt to daily and seasonal temperature changes. Epigenetic modifications play an important role in regulating plant tolerance under such conditions. DNA methylation and post-translational modifications of histone proteins influence gene expression during plant developmental stages and under stress conditions, including cold and heat stress. While short-term modifications are common, some modifications may persist and result in stress memory that can be inherited by subsequent generations. Understanding the mechanisms of epigenomes responding to stress and the factors that trigger stress memory is crucial for developing climate-resilient agriculture, but such an integrated view is currently limited. This review focuses on the plant epigenetic stress memory during cold and heat stress. It also discusses the potential of machine learning to modify stress memory through epigenetics to develop climate-resilient crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shamsur Rehman
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China
| | - Zishan Ahmad
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Muthusamy Ramakrishnan
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
- Bamboo Research Institute, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, 210037, China
| | - Ruslan Kalendar
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science HiLIFE, Biocenter 3, Viikinkaari 1, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Center for Life Sciences, National Laboratory Astana, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan.
| | - Qiang Zhuge
- Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Key Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Nanjing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Teano G, Concia L, Wolff L, Carron L, Biocanin I, Adamusová K, Fojtová M, Bourge M, Kramdi A, Colot V, Grossniklaus U, Bowler C, Baroux C, Carbone A, Probst AV, Schrumpfová PP, Fajkus J, Amiard S, Grob S, Bourbousse C, Barneche F. Histone H1 protects telomeric repeats from H3K27me3 invasion in Arabidopsis. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112894. [PMID: 37515769 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112894] [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: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023] Open
Abstract
While the pivotal role of linker histone H1 in shaping nucleosome organization is well established, its functional interplays with chromatin factors along the epigenome are just starting to emerge. Here we show that, in Arabidopsis, as in mammals, H1 occupies Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) target genes where it favors chromatin condensation and H3K27me3 deposition. We further show that, contrasting with its conserved function in PRC2 activation at genes, H1 selectively prevents H3K27me3 accumulation at telomeres and large pericentromeric interstitial telomeric repeat (ITR) domains by restricting DNA accessibility to Telomere Repeat Binding (TRB) proteins, a group of H1-related Myb factors mediating PRC2 cis recruitment. This study provides a mechanistic framework by which H1 avoids the formation of gigantic H3K27me3-rich domains at telomeric sequences and contributes to safeguard nucleus architecture.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gianluca Teano
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France; Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Orsay, France
| | - Lorenzo Concia
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Léa Wolff
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Léopold Carron
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, UMR 7238, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative (LCQB), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Ivona Biocanin
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France; Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Orsay, France
| | - Kateřina Adamusová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miloslava Fojtová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Bourge
- Cytometry Facility, Imagerie-Gif, Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Amira Kramdi
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Vincent Colot
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Ueli Grossniklaus
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Chris Bowler
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Célia Baroux
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alessandra Carbone
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, IBPS, UMR 7238, Laboratoire de Biologie Computationnelle et Quantitative (LCQB), 75005 Paris, France
| | - Aline V Probst
- CNRS UMR6293, Université Clermont Auvergne, INSERM U1103, GReD, CRBC, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Petra Procházková Schrumpfová
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Fajkus
- Mendel Centre for Plant Genomics and Proteomics, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratory of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, NCBR, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Simon Amiard
- CNRS UMR6293, Université Clermont Auvergne, INSERM U1103, GReD, CRBC, Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Stefan Grob
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Clara Bourbousse
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Fredy Barneche
- Institut de biologie de l'École normale supérieure (IBENS), École normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Hollwey E, Briffa A, Howard M, Zilberman D. Concepts, mechanisms and implications of long-term epigenetic inheritance. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 81:102087. [PMID: 37441873 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023]
Abstract
Many modes and mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance have been elucidated in eukaryotes. Most of them are relatively short-term, generally not exceeding one or a few organismal generations. However, emerging evidence indicates that one mechanism, cytosine DNA methylation, can mediate epigenetic inheritance over much longer timescales, which are mostly or completely inaccessible in the laboratory. Here we discuss the evidence for, and mechanisms and implications of, such long-term epigenetic inheritance. We argue that compelling evidence supports the long-term epigenetic inheritance of gene body methylation, at least in the model angiosperm Arabidopsis thaliana, and that variation in such methylation can therefore serve as an epigenetic basis for phenotypic variation in natural populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy Briffa
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Martin Howard
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK
| | - Daniel Zilberman
- Institute of Science and Technology, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Gorbenko IV, Petrushin IS, Shcherban AB, Orlov YL, Konstantinov YM. Short Interrupted Repeat Cassette (SIRC)-Novel Type of Repetitive DNA Element Found in Arabidopsis thaliana. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11116. [PMID: 37446293 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241311116] [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: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Short interrupted repeat cassette (SIRC)-a novel DNA element found throughout the A. thaliana nuclear genome. SIRCs are represented by short direct repeats interrupted by diverse DNA sequences. The maxima of SIRC's distribution are located within pericentromeric regions. We suggest that originally SIRC was a special case of the complex internal structure of the miniature inverted repeat transposable element (MITE), and further MITE amplification, transposition, and loss of terminal inverted repeats gave rise to SIRC as an independent DNA element. SIRC sites were significantly enriched with several histone modifications associated with constitutive heterochromatin and mobile genetic elements. The majority of DNA-binding proteins, strongly associated with SIRC, are related to histone modifications for transcription repression. A part of SIRC was found to overlap highly inducible protein-coding genes, suggesting a possible regulatory role for these elements, yet their definitive functions need further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Igor V Gorbenko
- Cell Biology and Bioengineering, Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Ivan S Petrushin
- Cell Biology and Bioengineering, Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
- Department of Business Communications and Informatics, Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
| | - Andrey B Shcherban
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
- Kurchatov Genomic Center ICG SB RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Yuriy L Orlov
- The Digital Health Institute, I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Sechenov University), Moscow 119991, Russia
- Agrarian and Technological Institute, Peoples' Friendship University of Russia, Moscow 117198, Russia
| | - Yuri M Konstantinov
- Cell Biology and Bioengineering, Siberian Institute of Plant Physiology and Biochemistry SB RAS, Irkutsk 664033, Russia
- Biosoil Department, Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk 664003, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Auge G, Hankofer V, Groth M, Antoniou-Kourounioti R, Ratikainen I, Lampei C. Plant environmental memory: implications, mechanisms and opportunities for plant scientists and beyond. AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plad032. [PMID: 37415723 PMCID: PMC10321398 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad032] [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: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants are extremely plastic organisms. They continuously receive and integrate environmental information and adjust their growth and development to favour fitness and survival. When this integration of information affects subsequent life stages or the development of subsequent generations, it can be considered an environmental memory. Thus, plant memory is a relevant mechanism by which plants respond adaptively to different environments. If the cost of maintaining the response is offset by its benefits, it may influence evolutionary trajectories. As such, plant memory has a sophisticated underlying molecular mechanism with multiple components and layers. Nonetheless, when mathematical modelling is combined with knowledge of ecological, physiological, and developmental effects as well as molecular mechanisms as a tool for understanding plant memory, the combined potential becomes unfathomable for the management of plant communities in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of plant memory, discuss the ecological requirements for its evolution, outline the multilayered molecular network and mechanisms required for accurate and fail-proof plant responses to variable environments, point out the direct involvement of the plant metabolism and discuss the tremendous potential of various types of models to further our understanding of the plant's environmental memory. Throughout, we emphasize the use of plant memory as a tool to unlock the secrets of the natural world.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentin Hankofer
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Munich, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Groth
- Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Munich, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Rea Antoniou-Kourounioti
- School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, University Ave, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Irja Ratikainen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christian Lampei
- Department of Biology (FB17), Plant Ecology and Geobotany Group, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Berthelier J, Furci L, Asai S, Sadykova M, Shimazaki T, Shirasu K, Saze H. Long-read direct RNA sequencing reveals epigenetic regulation of chimeric gene-transposon transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3248. [PMID: 37277361 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38954-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are accumulated in both intergenic and intragenic regions in plant genomes. Intragenic TEs often act as regulatory elements of associated genes and are also co-transcribed with genes, generating chimeric TE-gene transcripts. Despite the potential impact on mRNA regulation and gene function, the prevalence and transcriptional regulation of TE-gene transcripts are poorly understood. By long-read direct RNA sequencing and a dedicated bioinformatics pipeline, ParasiTE, we investigated the transcription and RNA processing of TE-gene transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana. We identified a global production of TE-gene transcripts in thousands of A. thaliana gene loci, with TE sequences often being associated with alternative transcription start sites or transcription termination sites. The epigenetic state of intragenic TEs affects RNAPII elongation and usage of alternative poly(A) signals within TE sequences, regulating alternative TE-gene isoform production. Co-transcription and inclusion of TE-derived sequences into gene transcripts impact regulation of RNA stability and environmental responses of some loci. Our study provides insights into TE-gene interactions that contributes to mRNA regulation, transcriptome diversity, and environmental responses in plants.
Collapse
Grants
- JP20H02995 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP22H00364 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP20H05909 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
- JP20H05913 Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT)
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jérémy Berthelier
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Leonardo Furci
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Shuta Asai
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Munissa Sadykova
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Tomoe Shimazaki
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan
| | - Ken Shirasu
- Center for Sustainable Resource Science, RIKEN, 1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Saze
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa, 904-0495, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Merkulov P, Egorova E, Kirov I. Composition and Structure of Arabidopsis thaliana Extrachromosomal Circular DNAs Revealed by Nanopore Sequencing. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12112178. [PMID: 37299157 DOI: 10.3390/plants12112178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Extrachromosomal circular DNAs (eccDNAs) are enigmatic DNA molecules that have been detected in a range of organisms. In plants, eccDNAs have various genomic origins and may be derived from transposable elements. The structures of individual eccDNA molecules and their dynamics in response to stress are poorly understood. In this study, we showed that nanopore sequencing is a useful tool for the detection and structural analysis of eccDNA molecules. Applying nanopore sequencing to the eccDNA molecules of epigenetically stressed Arabidopsis plants grown under various stress treatments (heat, abscisic acid, and flagellin), we showed that TE-derived eccDNA quantity and structure vary dramatically between individual TEs. Epigenetic stress alone did not cause eccDNA up-regulation, whereas its combination with heat stress triggered the generation of full-length and various truncated eccDNAs of the ONSEN element. We showed that the ratio between full-length and truncated eccDNAs is TE- and condition-dependent. Our work paves the way for further elucidation of the structural features of eccDNAs and their connections with various biological processes, such as eccDNA transcription and eccDNA-mediated TE silencing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Merkulov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Egorova
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Ilya Kirov
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Durand M, Brehaut V, Clement G, Kelemen Z, Macé J, Feil R, Duville G, Launay-Avon A, Roux CPL, Lunn JE, Roudier F, Krapp A. The Arabidopsis transcription factor NLP2 regulates early nitrate responses and integrates nitrate assimilation with energy and carbon skeleton supply. THE PLANT CELL 2023; 35:1429-1454. [PMID: 36752317 PMCID: PMC10118280 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koad025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nitrate signaling improves plant growth under limited nitrate availability and, hence, optimal resource use for crop production. Whereas several transcriptional regulators of nitrate signaling have been identified, including the Arabidopsis thaliana transcription factor NIN-LIKE PROTEIN7 (NLP7), additional regulators are expected to fine-tune this pivotal physiological response. Here, we characterized Arabidopsis NLP2 as a top-tier transcriptional regulator of the early nitrate response gene regulatory network. NLP2 interacts with NLP7 in vivo and shares key molecular features such as nitrate-dependent nuclear localization, DNA-binding motif, and some target genes with NLP7. Genetic, genomic, and metabolic approaches revealed a specific role for NLP2 in the nitrate-dependent regulation of carbon and energy-related processes that likely influence plant growth under distinct nitrogen environments. Our findings highlight the complementarity and specificity of NLP2 and NLP7 in orchestrating a multitiered nitrate regulatory network that links nitrate assimilation with carbon and energy metabolism for efficient nitrogen use and biomass production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mickaël Durand
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
- UMR CNRS 7267, EBI Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, Université de Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Virginie Brehaut
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
| | - Gilles Clement
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
| | - Zsolt Kelemen
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
| | - Julien Macé
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Regina Feil
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam-Golm D-14476, Germany
| | - Garry Duville
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
| | - Alexandra Launay-Avon
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
| | - Christine Paysant-Le Roux
- Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INRAE, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Gif sur Yvette 91190, France
| | - John E Lunn
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, Potsdam-Golm D-14476, Germany
| | - François Roudier
- Laboratoire Reproduction et Développement des Plantes, Université de Lyon, ENS de Lyon, UCB Lyon 1, CNRS, INRAE, Lyon, France
| | - Anne Krapp
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, Institut Jean-Pierre Bourgin, Versailles 78000, France
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Samelak-Czajka A, Wojciechowski P, Marszalek-Zenczak M, Figlerowicz M, Zmienko A. Differences in the intraspecies copy number variation of Arabidopsis thaliana conserved and nonconserved miRNA genes. Funct Integr Genomics 2023; 23:120. [PMID: 37036577 PMCID: PMC10085913 DOI: 10.1007/s10142-023-01043-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by RNA interference mechanism. In plants, miRNA genes (MIRs) which are grouped into conserved families, i.e. they are present among the different plant taxa, are involved in the regulation of many developmental and physiological processes. The roles of the nonconserved MIRs-which are MIRs restricted to one plant family, genus, or even species-are less recognized; however, many of them participate in the responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Both over- and underproduction of miRNAs may influence various biological processes. Consequently, maintaining intracellular miRNA homeostasis seems to be crucial for the organism. Deletions and duplications in the genomic sequence may alter gene dosage and/or activity. We evaluated the extent of copy number variations (CNVs) among Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) MIRs in over 1000 natural accessions, using population-based analysis of the short-read sequencing data. We showed that the conserved MIRs were unlikely to display CNVs and their deletions were extremely rare, whereas nonconserved MIRs presented moderate variation. Transposon-derived MIRs displayed exceptionally high diversity. Conversely, MIRs involved in the epigenetic control of transposons reactivated during development were mostly invariable. MIR overlap with the protein-coding genes also limited their variability. At the expression level, a higher rate of nonvariable, nonconserved miRNAs was detectable in Col-0 leaves, inflorescence, and siliques compared to nonconserved variable miRNAs, although the expression of both groups was much lower than that of the conserved MIRs. Our data indicate that CNV rate of Arabidopsis MIRs is related with their age, function, and genomic localization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Samelak-Czajka
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Pawel Wojciechowski
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
- Institute of Computing Science, Faculty of Computing and Telecommunications, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Marek Figlerowicz
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704, Poznan, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Zmienko
- Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, 61-704, Poznan, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Markusch H, Michl-Holzinger P, Obermeyer S, Thorbecke C, Bruckmann A, Babl S, Längst G, Osakabe A, Berger F, Grasser KD. Elongation factor 1 is a component of the Arabidopsis RNA polymerase II elongation complex and associates with a subset of transcribed genes. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 238:113-124. [PMID: 36627730 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18724] [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: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Elongation factors modulate the efficiency of mRNA synthesis by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in the context of chromatin, thus contributing to implement proper gene expression programmes. The zinc-finger protein elongation factor 1 (ELF1) is a conserved transcript elongation factor (TEF), whose molecular function so far has not been studied in plants. Using biochemical approaches, we examined the interaction of Arabidopsis ELF1 with DNA and histones in vitro and with the RNAPII elongation complex in vivo. In addition, cytological assays demonstrated the nuclear localisation of the protein, and by means of double-mutant analyses, interplay with genes encoding other elongation factors was explored. The genome-wide distribution of ELF1 was addressed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. ELF1 isolated from Arabidopsis cells robustly copurified with RNAPII and various other elongation factors including SPT4-SPT5, SPT6, IWS1, FACT and PAF1C. Analysis of a CRISPR-Cas9-mediated gene editing mutant of ELF1 revealed distinct genetic interactions with mutants deficient in other elongation factors. Moreover, ELF1 associated with genomic regions actively transcribed by RNAPII. However, ELF1 occupied only c. 33% of the RNAPII transcribed loci with preference for inducible rather than constitutively expressed genes. Collectively, these results establish that Arabidopsis ELF1 shares several characteristic attributes with RNAPII TEFs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Markusch
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Michl-Holzinger
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Simon Obermeyer
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Thorbecke
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Astrid Bruckmann
- Institute for Biochemistry I, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Babl
- Institute for Biochemistry III, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Gernot Längst
- Institute for Biochemistry III, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Akihisa Osakabe
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Frédéric Berger
- Gregor Mendel Institute (GMI), Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 3, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Klaus D Grasser
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Centre for Biochemistry, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053, Regensburg, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Cao J, Yu T, Xu B, Hu Z, Zhang XO, Theurkauf W, Weng Z. Epigenetic and chromosomal features drive transposon insertion in Drosophila melanogaster. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:2066-2086. [PMID: 36762470 PMCID: PMC10018349 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad054] [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: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposons are mobile genetic elements prevalent in the genomes of most species. The distribution of transposons within a genome reflects the actions of two opposing processes: initial insertion site selection, and selective pressure from the host. By analyzing whole-genome sequencing data from transposon-activated Drosophila melanogaster, we identified 43 316 de novo and 237 germline insertions from four long-terminal-repeat (LTR) transposons, one LINE transposon (I-element), and one DNA transposon (P-element). We found that all transposon types favored insertion into promoters de novo, but otherwise displayed distinct insertion patterns. De novo and germline P-element insertions preferred replication origins, often landing in a narrow region around transcription start sites and in regions of high chromatin accessibility. De novo LTR transposon insertions preferred regions with high H3K36me3, promoters and exons of active genes; within genes, LTR insertion frequency correlated with gene expression. De novo I-element insertion density increased with distance from the centromere. Germline I-element and LTR transposon insertions were depleted in promoters and exons, suggesting strong selective pressure to remove transposons from functional elements. Transposon movement is associated with genome evolution and disease; therefore, our results can improve our understanding of genome and disease biology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Tianxiong Yu
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Tianxiong Yu. Tel: +1 774 641 0409; Fax: +1 508 856 0017;
| | - Bo Xu
- The School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Zhongren Hu
- The School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Xiao-ou Zhang
- The School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - William E Theurkauf
- Program in Molecular Medicine, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Zhiping Weng
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 508 856 8866; Fax: +1 508 856 0017;
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Jaegle B, Pisupati R, Soto-Jiménez LM, Burns R, Rabanal FA, Nordborg M. Extensive sequence duplication in Arabidopsis revealed by pseudo-heterozygosity. Genome Biol 2023; 24:44. [PMID: 36895055 PMCID: PMC9999624 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-02875-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is apparent that genomes harbor much structural variation that is largely undetected for technical reasons. Such variation can cause artifacts when short-read sequencing data are mapped to a reference genome. Spurious SNPs may result from mapping of reads to unrecognized duplicated regions. Calling SNP using the raw reads of the 1001 Arabidopsis Genomes Project we identified 3.3 million (44%) heterozygous SNPs. Given that Arabidopsis thaliana (A. thaliana) is highly selfing, and that extensively heterozygous individuals have been removed, we hypothesize that these SNPs reflected cryptic copy number variation. RESULTS The heterozygosity we observe consists of particular SNPs being heterozygous across individuals in a manner that strongly suggests it reflects shared segregating duplications rather than random tracts of residual heterozygosity due to occasional outcrossing. Focusing on such pseudo-heterozygosity in annotated genes, we use genome-wide association to map the position of the duplicates. We identify 2500 putatively duplicated genes and validate them using de novo genome assemblies from six lines. Specific examples included an annotated gene and nearby transposon that transpose together. We also demonstrate that cryptic structural variation produces highly inaccurate estimates of DNA methylation polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS Our study confirms that most heterozygous SNP calls in A. thaliana are artifacts and suggest that great caution is needed when analyzing SNP data from short-read sequencing. The finding that 10% of annotated genes exhibit copy-number variation, and the realization that neither gene- nor transposon-annotation necessarily tells us what is actually mobile in the genome suggests that future analyses based on independently assembled genomes will be very informative.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Jaegle
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rahul Pisupati
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Robin Burns
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Magnus Nordborg
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Hoguin A, Yang F, Groisillier A, Bowler C, Genovesio A, Ait-Mohamed O, Vieira FRJ, Tirichine L. The model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum provides insights into the diversity and function of microeukaryotic DNA methyltransferases. Commun Biol 2023; 6:253. [PMID: 36894681 PMCID: PMC9998398 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04629-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytosine methylation is an important epigenetic mark involved in the transcriptional control of transposable elements in mammals, plants and fungi. The Stramenopiles-Alveolate-Rhizaria (SAR) lineages are a major group of ecologically important marine microeukaryotes, including the phytoplankton groups diatoms and dinoflagellates. However, little is known about their DNA methyltransferase diversity. Here, we performed an in-silico analysis of DNA methyltransferases found in marine microeukaryotes and showed that they encode divergent DNMT3, DNMT4, DNMT5 and DNMT6 enzymes. Furthermore, we found three classes of enzymes within the DNMT5 family. Using a CRISPR/Cas9 strategy we demonstrated that the loss of the DNMT5a gene correlates with a global depletion of DNA methylation and overexpression of young transposable elements in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. The study provides a view of the structure and function of a DNMT family in the SAR supergroup using an attractive model species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antoine Hoguin
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France
- Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Feng Yang
- Nantes Université, CNRS, US2B, UMR 6286, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | | | - Chris Bowler
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Auguste Genovesio
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Ouardia Ait-Mohamed
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Fabio Rocha Jimenez Vieira
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, PSL Université Paris, 75005, Paris, France.
- Laboratory of Computational and Quantitative Biology-LCQB - UMR 7238 CNRS-Sorbonne Université. Institut de Biologie Paris Seine, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Leila Tirichine
- Nantes Université, CNRS, US2B, UMR 6286, F-44000, Nantes, France.
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Hu Y, Wang X, Xu Y, Yang H, Tong Z, Tian R, Xu S, Yu L, Guo Y, Shi P, Huang S, Yang G, Shi S, Wei F. Molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution in wild animals and plants. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:453-495. [PMID: 36648611 PMCID: PMC9843154 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2233-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Wild animals and plants have developed a variety of adaptive traits driven by adaptive evolution, an important strategy for species survival and persistence. Uncovering the molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution is the key to understanding species diversification, phenotypic convergence, and inter-species interaction. As the genome sequences of more and more non-model organisms are becoming available, the focus of studies on molecular mechanisms of adaptive evolution has shifted from the candidate gene method to genetic mapping based on genome-wide scanning. In this study, we reviewed the latest research advances in wild animals and plants, focusing on adaptive traits, convergent evolution, and coevolution. Firstly, we focused on the adaptive evolution of morphological, behavioral, and physiological traits. Secondly, we reviewed the phenotypic convergences of life history traits and responding to environmental pressures, and the underlying molecular convergence mechanisms. Thirdly, we summarized the advances of coevolution, including the four main types: mutualism, parasitism, predation and competition. Overall, these latest advances greatly increase our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms for diverse adaptive traits and species interaction, demonstrating that the development of evolutionary biology has been greatly accelerated by multi-omics technologies. Finally, we highlighted the emerging trends and future prospects around the above three aspects of adaptive evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Hu
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China
| | - Yongchao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
| | - Hui Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Zeyu Tong
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Ran Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
| | - Yalong Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China.
| | - Peng Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China.
| | - Shuangquan Huang
- Institute of Evolution and Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
| | - Guang Yang
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Suhua Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangdong Key Lab of Plant Resources, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Fuwen Wei
- CAS Key Lab of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, 511458, China.
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Arce AL, Mencia R, Cambiagno DA, Lang PL, Liu C, Burbano HA, Weigel D, Manavella PA. Polymorphic inverted repeats near coding genes impact chromatin topology and phenotypic traits in Arabidopsis thaliana. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112029. [PMID: 36689329 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposons are mobile elements that are commonly silenced to protect eukaryotic genome integrity. In plants, transposable element (TE)-derived inverted repeats (IRs) are commonly found near genes, where they affect host gene expression. However, the molecular mechanisms of such regulation are unclear in most cases. Expression of these IRs is associated with production of 24-nt small RNAs, methylation of the IRs, and drastic changes in local 3D chromatin organization. Notably, many of these IRs differ between Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, causing variation in short-range chromatin interactions and gene expression. CRISPR-Cas9-mediated disruption of two IRs leads to a switch in genome topology and gene expression with phenotypic consequences. Our data show that insertion of an IR near a gene provides an anchor point for chromatin interactions that profoundly impact the activity of neighboring loci. This turns IRs into powerful evolutionary agents that can contribute to rapid adaptation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agustín L Arce
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Regina Mencia
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Damian A Cambiagno
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Patricia L Lang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Epigenetics, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstraße 30, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Hernán A Burbano
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany; Centre for Life's Origins and Evolution, University College London, London, UK
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Pablo A Manavella
- Instituto de Agrobiotecnología del Litoral (CONICET-UNL), Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Bioquímica y Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, 3000 Santa Fe, Argentina.
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Obermeyer S, Stöckl R, Schnekenburger T, Kapoor H, Stempfl T, Schwartz U, Grasser KD. TFIIS Is Crucial During Early Transcript Elongation for Transcriptional Reprogramming in Response to Heat Stress. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167917. [PMID: 36502880 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167917] [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: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
In addition to the stage of transcriptional initiation, the production of mRNAs is regulated during elongation. Accordingly, the synthesis of mRNAs by RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) in the chromatin context is modulated by various transcript elongation factors. TFIIS is an elongation factor that stimulates the transcript cleavage activity of RNAPII to reactivate stalled elongation complexes at barriers to transcription including nucleosomes. Since Arabidopsis tfIIs mutants grow normally under standard conditions, we have exposed them to heat stress (HS), revealing that tfIIs plants are highly sensitive to elevated temperatures. Transcriptomic analyses demonstrate that particularly HS-induced genes are expressed at lower levels in tfIIs than in wildtype. Mapping the distribution of elongating RNAPII uncovered that in tfIIs plants RNAPII accumulates at the +1 nucleosome of genes that are upregulated upon HS. The promoter-proximal RNAPII accumulation in tfIIs under HS conditions conforms to that observed upon inhibition of the RNAPII transcript cleavage activity. Further analysis of the RNAPII accumulation downstream of transcriptional start sites illustrated that RNAPII stalling occurs at +1 nucleosomes that are depleted in the histone variant H2A.Z upon HS. Therefore, assistance of early transcript elongation by TFIIS is required for reprogramming gene expression to establish plant thermotolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Obermeyer
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Richard Stöckl
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Schnekenburger
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Henna Kapoor
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Stempfl
- Center of Excellence for Fluorescent Bioanalytics (KFB), University of Regensburg, Am Biopark 9, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Uwe Schwartz
- NGS Analysis Centre, Biology and Pre-Clinical Medicine, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Klaus D Grasser
- Cell Biology & Plant Biochemistry, Biochemistry Centre, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstr. 31, D-93053 Regensburg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
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.
Collapse
|
47
|
Srikant T, Yuan W, Berendzen KW, Contreras-Garrido A, Drost HG, Schwab R, Weigel D. Canalization of genome-wide transcriptional activity in Arabidopsis thaliana accessions by MET1-dependent CG methylation. Genome Biol 2022; 23:263. [PMID: 36539836 PMCID: PMC9768921 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-022-02833-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite its conserved role on gene expression and transposable element (TE) silencing, genome-wide CG methylation differs substantially between wild Arabidopsis thaliana accessions. RESULTS To test our hypothesis that global reduction of CG methylation would reduce epigenomic, transcriptomic, and phenotypic diversity in A. thaliana accessions, we knock out MET1, which is required for CG methylation, in 18 early-flowering accessions. Homozygous met1 mutants in all accessions suffer from common developmental defects such as dwarfism and delayed flowering, in addition to accession-specific abnormalities in rosette leaf architecture, silique morphology, and fertility. Integrated analysis of genome-wide methylation, chromatin accessibility, and transcriptomes confirms that MET1 inactivation greatly reduces CG methylation and alters chromatin accessibility at thousands of loci. While the effects on TE activation are similarly drastic in all accessions, the quantitative effects on non-TE genes vary greatly. The global expression profiles of accessions become considerably more divergent from each other after genome-wide removal of CG methylation, although a few genes with diverse expression profiles across wild-type accessions tend to become more similar in mutants. Most differentially expressed genes do not exhibit altered chromatin accessibility or CG methylation in cis, suggesting that absence of MET1 can have profound indirect effects on gene expression and that these effects vary substantially between accessions. CONCLUSIONS Systematic analysis of MET1 requirement in different A. thaliana accessions reveals a dual role for CG methylation: for many genes, CG methylation appears to canalize expression levels, with methylation masking regulatory divergence. However, for a smaller subset of genes, CG methylation increases expression diversity beyond genetically encoded differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thanvi Srikant
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Present address: Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Department of Biology, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Wei Yuan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Kenneth Wayne Berendzen
- Plant Transformation and Flow Cytometry Facility, ZMBP, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Hajk-Georg Drost
- Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Rebecca Schwab
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Detlef Weigel
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Kirov I, Merkulov P, Polkhovskaya E, Konstantinov Z, Kazancev M, Saenko K, Polkhovskiy A, Dudnikov M, Garibyan T, Demurin Y, Soloviev A. Epigenetic Stress and Long-Read cDNA Sequencing of Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) Revealed the Origin of the Plant Retrotranscriptome. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3579. [PMID: 36559691 PMCID: PMC9784723 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) contribute not only to genome diversity but also to transcriptome diversity in plants. To unravel the sources of LTR retrotransposon (RTE) transcripts in sunflower, we exploited a recently developed transposon activation method ('TEgenesis') along with long-read cDNA Nanopore sequencing. This approach allows for the identification of 56 RTE transcripts from different genomic loci including full-length and non-autonomous RTEs. Using the mobilome analysis, we provided a new set of expressed and transpositional active sunflower RTEs for future studies. Among them, a Ty3/Gypsy RTE called SUNTY3 exhibited ongoing transposition activity, as detected by eccDNA analysis. We showed that the sunflower genome contains a diverse set of non-autonomous RTEs encoding a single RTE protein, including the previously described TR-GAG (terminal repeat with the GAG domain) as well as new categories, TR-RT-RH, TR-RH, and TR-INT-RT. Our results demonstrate that 40% of the loci for RTE-related transcripts (nonLTR-RTEs) lack their LTR sequences and resemble conventional eucaryotic genes encoding RTE-related proteins with unknown functions. It was evident based on phylogenetic analysis that three nonLTR-RTEs encode GAG (HadGAG1-3) fused to a host protein. These HadGAG proteins have homologs found in other plant species, potentially indicating GAG domestication. Ultimately, we found that the sunflower retrotranscriptome originated from the transcription of active RTEs, non-autonomous RTEs, and gene-like RTE transcripts, including those encoding domesticated proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Kirov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Pavel Merkulov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Ekaterina Polkhovskaya
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Zakhar Konstantinov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Kazancev
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Ksenia Saenko
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Federal Research Center of Biological Plant Protection, 350039 Krasnodar, Russia
| | - Alexander Polkhovskiy
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maxim Dudnikov
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
- Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, 141701 Dolgoprudny, Russia
| | - Tsovinar Garibyan
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yakov Demurin
- Pustovoit All-Russia Research Institute of Oilseed Crops, Filatova St. 17, 350038 Krasnodar, Russia
| | - Alexander Soloviev
- All-Russia Research Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Timiryazevskaya Str. 42, 127550 Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
De Kort H, Legrand S, Honnay O, Buckley J. Transposable elements maintain genome-wide heterozygosity in inbred populations. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7022. [PMID: 36396660 PMCID: PMC9672359 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34795-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Elevated levels of inbreeding increase the risk of inbreeding depression and extinction, yet many inbred species are widespread, suggesting that inbreeding has little impact on evolutionary potential. Here, we explore the potential for transposable elements (TEs) to maintain genetic variation in functional genomic regions under extreme inbreeding. Capitalizing on the mixed mating system of Arabidopsis lyrata, we assess genome-wide heterozygosity and signatures of selection at single nucleotide polymorphisms near transposable elements across an inbreeding gradient. Under intense inbreeding, we find systematically elevated heterozygosity downstream of several TE superfamilies, associated with signatures of balancing selection. In addition, we demonstrate increased heterozygosity in stress-responsive genes that consistently occur downstream of TEs. We finally reveal that TE superfamilies are associated with specific signatures of selection that are reproducible across independent evolutionary lineages of A. lyrata. Together, our study provides an important hypothesis for the success of self-fertilizing species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hanne De Kort
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Plant Conservation and Population Biology, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sylvain Legrand
- grid.503422.20000 0001 2242 6780Univ. Lille, CNRS, UMR 8198 - Evo-Eco-Paleo, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Olivier Honnay
- grid.5596.f0000 0001 0668 7884Plant Conservation and Population Biology, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001 Leuven, Belgium
| | - James Buckley
- grid.11201.330000 0001 2219 0747School of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, PL1 2BT UK
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Hämälä T, Ning W, Kuittinen H, Aryamanesh N, Savolainen O. Environmental response in gene expression and DNA methylation reveals factors influencing the adaptive potential of Arabidopsis lyrata. eLife 2022; 11:e83115. [PMID: 36306157 PMCID: PMC9616567 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding what factors influence plastic and genetic variation is valuable for predicting how organisms respond to changes in the selective environment. Here, using gene expression and DNA methylation as molecular phenotypes, we study environmentally induced variation among Arabidopsis lyrata plants grown at lowland and alpine field sites. Our results show that gene expression is highly plastic, as many more genes are differentially expressed between the field sites than between populations. These environmentally responsive genes evolve under strong selective constraint - the strength of purifying selection on the coding sequence is high, while the rate of adaptive evolution is low. We find, however, that positive selection on cis-regulatory variants has likely contributed to the maintenance of genetically variable environmental responses, but such variants segregate only between distantly related populations. In contrast to gene expression, DNA methylation at genic regions is largely insensitive to the environment, and plastic methylation changes are not associated with differential gene expression. Besides genes, we detect environmental effects at transposable elements (TEs): TEs at the high-altitude field site have higher expression and methylation levels, suggestive of a broad-scale TE activation. Compared to the lowland population, plants native to the alpine environment harbor an excess of recent TE insertions, and we observe that specific TE families are enriched within environmentally responsive genes. Our findings provide insight into selective forces shaping plastic and genetic variation. We also highlight how plastic responses at TEs can rapidly create novel heritable variation in stressful conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tuomas Hämälä
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Weixuan Ning
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Helmi Kuittinen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Nader Aryamanesh
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| | - Outi Savolainen
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, University of OuluOuluFinland
| |
Collapse
|