1
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Furci L, Berthelier J, Saze H. RNA N6-adenine methylation dynamics impact Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis resistance in Arabidopsis. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 196:745-753. [PMID: 38991559 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
In plants, epitranscriptomic mark N6-adenine methylation (m6A) is dynamically regulated in response to environmental cues. However, little is known about m6A dynamics under biotic stresses and their role in environmental adaptation. Additionally, current methodologies limit the investigation of m6A dynamics at single-nucleotide resolution on specific RNA molecules. Using Oxford Nanopore Technology direct RNA sequencing and a neural network model, we show transcript-specific dynamics of m6A modification at single-nucleotide resolution during Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa) infection in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). In wild-type seedlings, pathogen infection causes a significant reduction in global m6A ratios, which corresponds with the activation of m6A-modified transcripts. Defect of m6A deposition in the m6A mutant hakai-1 mimics m6A reduction from Hpa infection at ∼70% of sites, resulting in constitutive overexpression of basal defense genes and enhanced resistance against the pathogen. Our results demonstrate that m6A dynamics impact defense response against Hpa, providing a promising target for future crop improvement strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Furci
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0412, Japan
| | - Jérémy Berthelier
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0412, Japan
| | - Hidetoshi Saze
- Plant Epigenetics Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa 904-0412, Japan
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2
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Kumar S, Singh A, Bist CMS, Sharma M. Advancements in genetic techniques and functional genomics for enhancing crop traits and agricultural sustainability. Brief Funct Genomics 2024; 23:607-623. [PMID: 38679487 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae017] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic variability is essential for the development of new crop varieties with economically beneficial traits. The traits can be inherited from wild relatives or induced through mutagenesis. Novel genetic elements can then be identified and new gene functions can be predicted. In this study, forward and reverse genetics approaches were described, in addition to their applications in modern crop improvement programs and functional genomics. By using heritable phenotypes and linked genetic markers, forward genetics searches for genes by using traditional genetic mapping and allele frequency estimation. Despite recent advances in sequencing technology, omics and computation, genetic redundancy remains a major challenge in forward genetics. By analyzing close-related genes, we will be able to dissect their functional redundancy and predict possible traits and gene activity patterns. In addition to these predictions, sophisticated reverse gene editing tools can be used to verify them, including TILLING, targeted insertional mutagenesis, gene silencing, gene targeting and genome editing. By using gene knock-down, knock-up and knock-out strategies, these tools are able to detect genetic changes in cells. In addition, epigenome analysis and editing enable the development of novel traits in existing crop cultivars without affecting their genetic makeup by increasing epiallelic variants. Our understanding of gene functions and molecular dynamics of various biological phenomena has been revised by all of these findings. The study also identifies novel genetic targets in crop species to improve yields and stress tolerances through conventional and non-conventional methods. In this article, genetic techniques and functional genomics are specifically discussed and assessed for their potential in crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surender Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Horticulture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Anupama Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Horticulture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173230, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Chander Mohan Singh Bist
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-Central Potato Research Institute, Shimla-171001, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Munish Sharma
- Department of Plant Sciences, Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala-176215, Himachal Pradesh, India
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3
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Alexanian AR. Epigenetic inheritance of acquired traits via stem cells dedifferentiation/differentiation or transdifferentiation cycles. Cells Dev 2024; 179:203928. [PMID: 38768658 DOI: 10.1016/j.cdev.2024.203928] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Inheritance of acquired characteristics is the once widely accepted idea that multiple modifications acquired by an organism during its life, can be inherited by the offspring. This belief is at least as old as Hippocrates and became popular in early 19th century, leading Lamarck to suggest his theory of evolution. Charles Darwin, along with other thinkers of the time attempted to explain the mechanism of acquired traits' inheritance by proposing the theory of pangenesis. While later this and similar theories were rejected because of the lack of hard evidence, the studies aimed at revealing the mechanism by which somatic information can be passed to germ cells have continued up to the present. In this paper, we present a new theory and provide supporting literature to explain this phenomenon. We hypothesize existence of pluripotent adult stem cells that can serve as collectors and carriers of new epigenetic traits by entering different developmentally active organ/tissue compartments through blood circulation and acquiring new epigenetic marks though cycles of differentiation/dedifferentiation or transdifferentiation. During gametogenesis, these epigenetically modified cells are attracted by gonads, transdifferentiate into germ cells, and pass the acquired epigenetic modifications collected from the entire body's somatic cells to the offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshak R Alexanian
- Cell Reprogramming & Therapeutics LLC, Wauwatosa (Milwaukee County), WI 53226, USA.
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4
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Sarkies P, Westoby J, Kilner RM, Mashoodh R. Gene body methylation evolves during the sustained loss of parental care in the burying beetle. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6606. [PMID: 39098855 PMCID: PMC11298552 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50359-0] [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: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, such as 5-methylcytosine (5mC), can sometimes be transmitted between generations, provoking speculation that epigenetic changes could play a role in adaptation and evolution. Here, we use experimental evolution to investigate how 5mC levels evolve in populations of biparental insect (Nicrophorus vespilloides) derived from a wild source population and maintained independently under different regimes of parental care in the lab. We show that 5mC levels in the transcribed regions of genes (gene bodies) diverge between populations that have been exposed to different levels of care for 30 generations. These changes in 5mC do not reflect changes in the levels of gene expression. However, the accumulation of 5mC within genes between populations is associated with reduced variability in gene expression within populations. Our results suggest that evolved change in 5mC could contribute to phenotypic evolution by influencing variability in gene expression in invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Sarkies
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | | | - Rahia Mashoodh
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
- Centre for Biodiversity & Environment Research, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK.
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5
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Petitpas M, Lapous R, Le Duc M, Lariagon C, Lemoine J, Langrume C, Manzanares-Dauleux MJ, Jubault M. Environmental conditions modulate the effect of epigenetic factors controlling the response of Arabidopsis thaliana to Plasmodiophora brassicae. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1245545. [PMID: 38872892 PMCID: PMC11171141 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1245545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
The resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to clubroot, a major disease of Brassicaceae caused by the obligate protist Plasmodiophora brassicae, is controlled in part by epigenetic factors. The detection of some of these epigenetic quantitative trait loci (QTLepi) has been shown to depend on experimental conditions. The aim of the present study was to assess whether and how temperature and/or soil water availability influenced both the detection and the extent of the effect of response QTLepi. The epigenetic recombinant inbred line (epiRIL) population, derived from the cross between ddm1-2 and Col-0 (partially resistant and susceptible to clubroot, respectively), was phenotyped for response to P. brassicae under four abiotic conditions including standard conditions, a 5°C temperature increase, drought, and flooding. The abiotic constraints tested had a significant impact on both the leaf growth of the epiRIL population and the outcome of the epiRIL-pathogen interaction. Linkage analysis led to the detection of a total of 31 QTLepi, 18 of which were specific to one abiotic condition and 13 common to at least two environments. EpiRIL showed significant plasticity under epigenetic control, which appeared to be specific to the traits evaluated and to the abiotic conditions. These results highlight that the environment can affect the epigenetic architecture of plant growth and immune responses and advance our understanding of the epigenetic factors underlying plasticity in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mélanie Jubault
- IGEPP, Institut Agro Rennes-Angers – INRAE – Université de Rennes, Le Rheu, France
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6
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Khan S, Mishra RK. Multigenerational Effect of Heat Stress on the Drosophila melanogaster Sperm Proteome. J Proteome Res 2024. [PMID: 38743012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The effect of the parental environment on offspring through non-DNA sequence-based mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, chromatin modifications, noncoding RNAs, and proteins, could only be established after the conception of "epigenetics". These effects are now broadly referred to as multigenerational epigenetic effects. Despite accumulating evidence of male gamete-mediated multigenerational epigenetic inheritance, little is known about the factors that underlie heat stress-induced multigenerational epigenetic inheritance via the male germline in Drosophila. In this study, we address this gap by utilizing an established heat stress paradigm in Drosophila and investigating its multigenerational effect on the sperm proteome. Our findings indicate that multigenerational heat stress during the early embryonic stage significantly influences proteins in the sperm associated with translation, chromatin organization, microtubule-based processes, and the generation of metabolites and energy. Assessment of life-history traits revealed that reproductive fitness and stress tolerance remained unaffected by multigenerational heat stress. Our study offers initial insights into the chromatin-based epigenetic mechanisms as a plausible means of transmitting heat stress memory through the male germline in Drosophila. Furthermore, it sheds light on the repercussions of early embryonic heat stress on male reproductive potential. The data sets from this study are available at the ProteomeXchange Consortium under the identifier PXD037488.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shagufta Khan
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500 007, Telangana, India
| | - Rakesh K Mishra
- CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad-500 007, Telangana, India
- Tata Institute for Genetics and Society, Bengaluru-560 065, Karnataka, India
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7
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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.
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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.
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8
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Chen B, Wang M, Guo Y, Zhang Z, Zhou W, Cao L, Zhang T, Ali S, Xie L, Li Y, Zinta G, Sun S, Zhang Q. Climate-related naturally occurring epimutation and their roles in plant adaptation in A. thaliana. Mol Ecol 2024:e17356. [PMID: 38634782 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
DNA methylation has been proposed to be an important mechanism that allows plants to respond to their environments sometimes entirely uncoupled from genetic variation. To understand the genetic basis, biological functions and climatic relationships of DNA methylation at a population scale in Arabidopsis thaliana, we performed a genome-wide association analysis with high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and found that ~56% on average, especially in the CHH sequence context (71%), of the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are not tagged by SNPs. Among them, a total of 3235 DMRs are significantly associated with gene expressions and potentially heritable. 655 of the 3235 DMRs are associated with climatic variables, and we experimentally verified one of them, HEI10 (HUMAN ENHANCER OF CELL INVASION NO.10). Such epigenetic loci could be subjected to natural selection thereby affecting plant adaptation, and would be expected to be an indicator of accessions at risk. We therefore incorporated these climate-related DMRs into a gradient forest model, and found that the natural A. thaliana accessions in Southern Europe that may be most at risk under future climate change. Our findings highlight the importance of integrating DNA methylation that is independent of genetic variations, and climatic data to predict plants' vulnerability to future climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Biology Resources and Environmental Sciences, Jishou University, Jishou, China
| | - Min Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yile Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Zihui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Wei Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Lesheng Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Tianxu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Shahid Ali
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Linan Xie
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Gaurav Zinta
- Integrative Plant AdaptOmics Lab (iPAL), Biotechnology Division, CSIR-Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology, Palampur (CSIR-IHBT), Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Shanwen Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
| | - Qingzhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- The Center for Basic Forestry Research, College of Forestry, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
- College of Life Science, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
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9
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Kakoulidou I, Piecyk RS, Meyer RC, Kuhlmann M, Gutjahr C, Altmann T, Johannes F. Mapping parental DMRs predictive of local and distal methylome remodeling in epigenetic F1 hybrids. Life Sci Alliance 2024; 7:e202402599. [PMID: 38290756 PMCID: PMC10828516 DOI: 10.26508/lsa.202402599] [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: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
F1 hybrids derived from a cross between two inbred parental lines often display widespread changes in DNA methylation and gene expression patterns relative to their parents. An emerging challenge is to understand how parental epigenomic differences contribute to these events. Here, we generated a large mapping panel of F1 epigenetic hybrids, whose parents are isogenic but variable in their DNA methylation patterns. Using a combination of multi-omic profiling and epigenetic mapping strategies we show that differentially methylated regions in parental pericentromeres act as major reorganizers of hybrid methylomes and transcriptomes, even in the absence of genetic variation. These parental differentially methylated regions are associated with hybrid methylation remodeling events at thousands of target regions throughout the genome, both locally (in cis) and distally (in trans). Many of these distally-induced methylation changes lead to nonadditive expression of nearby genes and associate with phenotypic heterosis. Our study highlights the pleiotropic potential of parental pericentromeres in the functional remodeling of hybrid genomes and phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Kakoulidou
- https://ror.org/02kkvpp62 Plant Epigenomics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Robert S Piecyk
- https://ror.org/02kkvpp62 Plant Epigenomics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rhonda C Meyer
- https://ror.org/02skbsp27 Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Markus Kuhlmann
- https://ror.org/02skbsp27 Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Caroline Gutjahr
- Plant Genetics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Thomas Altmann
- https://ror.org/02skbsp27 Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK), Gatersleben, Germany
| | - Frank Johannes
- https://ror.org/02kkvpp62 Plant Epigenomics, TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- https://ror.org/02kkvpp62 Institute of Advanced Studies, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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10
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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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Liu
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA
| | - Xuehua Zhong
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA.
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11
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Webster AK, Phillips PC. Heritable epigenetic variation facilitates long-term maintenance of epigenetic and genetic variation. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkad287. [PMID: 38113034 PMCID: PMC10849368 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad287] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
How genetic and phenotypic variation are maintained has long been one of the fundamental questions in population and quantitative genetics. A variety of factors have been implicated to explain the maintenance of genetic variation in some contexts (e.g. balancing selection), but the potential role of epigenetic regulation to influence population dynamics has been understudied. It is well recognized that epigenetic regulation, including histone methylation, small RNA expression, and DNA methylation, helps to define differences between cell types and facilitate phenotypic plasticity. In recent years, empirical studies have shown the potential for epigenetic regulation to also be heritable for at least a few generations without selection, raising the possibility that differences in epigenetic regulation can act alongside genetic variation to shape evolutionary trajectories. Heritable differences in epigenetic regulation that arise spontaneously are termed "epimutations." Epimutations differ from genetic mutations in 2 key ways-they occur at a higher rate and the loci at which they occur often revert back to their original state within a few generations. Here, we present an extension of the standard population genetic model with selection to incorporate epigenetic variation arising via epimutation. Our model assumes a diploid, sexually reproducing population with random mating. In addition to spontaneous genetic mutation, we included parameters for spontaneous epimutation and back-epimutation, allowing for 4 potential epialleles at a single locus (2 genetic alleles, each with 2 epigenetic states), each of which affect fitness. We then analyzed the conditions under which stable epialleles were maintained. Our results show that highly reversible epialleles can be maintained in long-term equilibrium under neutral conditions in a manner that depends on the epimutation and back-epimutation rates, which we term epimutation-back-epimutation equilibrium. On the other hand, epialleles that compensate for deleterious mutations cause deviations from the expectations of mutation-selection balance by a simple factor that depends on the epimutation and back-epimutation rates. We also numerically analyze several sets of fitness parameters for which large deviations from mutation-selection balance occur. Together, these results demonstrate that transient epigenetic regulation may be an important factor in the maintenance of both epigenetic and genetic variation in populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy K Webster
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Patrick C Phillips
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
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12
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Singh VK, Ahmed S, Saini DK, Gahlaut V, Chauhan S, Khandare K, Kumar A, Sharma PK, Kumar J. Manipulating epigenetic diversity in crop plants: Techniques, challenges and opportunities. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2024; 1868:130544. [PMID: 38104668 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2023.130544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications act as conductors of inheritable alterations in gene expression, all while keeping the DNA sequence intact, thereby playing a pivotal role in shaping plant growth and development. This review article presents an overview of techniques employed to investigate and manipulate epigenetic diversity in crop plants, focusing on both naturally occurring and artificially induced epialleles. The significance of epigenetic modifications in facilitating adaptive responses is explored through the examination of how various biotic and abiotic stresses impact them. Further, environmental chemicals are explored for their role in inducing epigenetic changes, particularly focusing on inhibitors of DNA methylation like 5-AzaC and zebularine, as well as inhibitors of histone deacetylation including trichostatin A and sodium butyrate. The review delves into various approaches for generating epialleles, including tissue culture techniques, mutagenesis, and grafting, elucidating their potential to induce heritable epigenetic modifications in plants. In addition, the ground breaking CRISPR/Cas is emphasized for its accuracy in targeting specific epigenetic changes. This presents a potent tools for deciphering the intricacies of epigenetic mechanisms. Furthermore, the intricate relationship between epigenetic modifications and non-coding RNA expression, including siRNAs and miRNAs, is investigated. The emerging role of exo-RNAi in epigenetic regulation is also introduced, unveiling its promising potential for future applications. The article concludes by addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by these techniques, emphasizing their implications for crop improvement. Conclusively, this extensive review provides valuable insights into the intricate realm of epigenetic changes, illuminating their significance in phenotypic plasticity and their potential in advancing crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shoeb Ahmed
- Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut 250004, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Saini
- Department of Plant and Soil Science, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Vijay Gahlaut
- University Centre for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali 140413, Punjab, India
| | | | - Kiran Khandare
- Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Mohali 140308, Punjab, India
| | - Ashutosh Kumar
- Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing, Mohali 140308, Punjab, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Sharma
- Ch. Charan Singh University, Meerut 250004, India; Maharaja Suhel Dev State University, Azamgarh 276404, U.P., India
| | - Jitendra Kumar
- National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Sector-81, Mohali 140306, Punjab, India.
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13
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Kovalchuk I. Heritable responses to stress in plants. QUANTITATIVE PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 4:e15. [PMID: 38156078 PMCID: PMC10753343 DOI: 10.1017/qpb.2023.14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Most plants are adapted to their environments through generations of exposure to all elements. The adaptation process involves the best possible response to fluctuations in the environment based on the genetic and epigenetic make-up of the organism. Many plant species have the capacity to acclimate or adapt to certain stresses, allowing them to respond more efficiently, with fewer resources diverted from growth and development. However, plants can also acquire protection against stress across generations. Such a response is known as an intergenerational response to stress; typically, plants lose most of the tolerance in the subsequent generation when propagated without stress. Occasionally, the protection lasts for more than one generation after stress exposure and such a response is called transgenerational. In this review, we will summarize what is known about inter- and transgenerational responses to stress, focus on phenotypic and epigenetic events, their mechanisms and ecological and evolutionary meaning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Kovalchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB, Canada
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14
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Fresnedo-Ramírez J, Anderson ES, D'Amico-Willman K, Gradziel TM. A review of plant epigenetics through the lens of almond. THE PLANT GENOME 2023; 16:e20367. [PMID: 37434488 DOI: 10.1002/tpg2.20367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
While genomes were originally seen as static entities that stably held and organized genetic information, recent advances in sequencing have uncovered the dynamic nature of the genome. New conceptualizations of the genome include complex relationships between the environment and gene expression that must be maintained, regulated, and sometimes even transmitted over generations. The discovery of epigenetic mechanisms has allowed researchers to understand how traits like phenology, plasticity, and fitness can be altered without changing the underlying deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. While many discoveries were first made in animal systems, plants provide a particularly complex set of epigenetic mechanisms due to unique aspects of their biology and interactions with human selective breeding and cultivation. In the plant kingdom, annual plants have received the most attention; however, perennial plants endure and respond to their environment and human management in distinct ways. Perennials include crops such as almond, for which epigenetic effects have long been linked to phenomena and even considered relevant for breeding. Recent discoveries have elucidated epigenetic phenomena that influence traits such as dormancy and self-compatibility, as well as disorders like noninfectious bud failure, which are known to be triggered by the environment and influenced by inherent aspects of the plant. Thus, epigenetics represents fertile ground to further understand almond biology and production and optimize its breeding. Here, we provide our current understanding of epigenetic regulation in plants and use almond as an example of how advances in epigenetics research can be used to understand biological fitness and agricultural performance in crop plants.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth S Anderson
- Department of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA
| | | | - Thomas M Gradziel
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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15
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Harris CJ, Amtmann A, Ton J. Epigenetic processes in plant stress priming: Open questions and new approaches. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2023; 75:102432. [PMID: 37523900 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2023.102432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Priming reflects the capacity of plants to memorise environmental stress experience and improve their response to recurring stress. Epigenetic modifications in DNA and associated histone proteins may carry short-term and long-term memory in the same plant or mediate transgenerational effects, but the evidence is still largely circumstantial. New experimental tools now enable scientists to perform targeted manipulations that either prevent or generate a particular epigenetic modification in a particular location of the genome. Such 'reverse epigenetics' approaches allow for the interrogation of causality between individual priming-induced modifications and their role for altering gene expression and plant performance under recurring stress. Furthermore, combining site-directed epigenetic manipulation with conditional and cell-type specific promoters creates novel opportunities to test and engineer spatiotemporal patterns of priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Jake Harris
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EA, UK
| | - Anna Amtmann
- School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G128QQ, UK.
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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16
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Badmi R, Prestwich BD. Linker H1 is an 'epi'centre of plant defence. Trends Genet 2023; 39:644-645. [PMID: 37419697 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.06.007] [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: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
The role of linker H1 histones in plant defence has recently been investigated. Sheikh et al. found that Arabidopsis thaliana plants that were lacking all three H1 proteins showed increased disease resistance, but when primed, failed to induce enhanced resistance. Differences in epigenetic patterns could be the cause of defective priming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raghuram Badmi
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
| | - Barbara Doyle Prestwich
- School of Biological Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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17
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Furci L, Pascual‐Pardo D, Tirot L, Zhang P, Hannan Parker A, Ton J. Heritable induced resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana: Tips and tools to improve effect size and reproducibility. PLANT DIRECT 2023; 7:e523. [PMID: 37638230 PMCID: PMC10457550 DOI: 10.1002/pld3.523] [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: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Over a decade ago, three independent studies reported that pathogen- and herbivore-exposed Arabidopsis thaliana produces primed progeny with increased resistance. Since then, heritable induced resistance (h-IR) has been reported across numerous plant-biotic interactions, revealing a regulatory function of DNA (de)methylation dynamics. However, the identity of the epi-alleles controlling h-IR and the mechanisms by which they prime defense genes remain unknown, while the evolutionary significance of the response requires confirmation. Progress has been hampered by the relatively high variability, low effect size, and sometimes poor reproducibility of h-IR, as is exemplified by a recent study that failed to reproduce h-IR in A. thaliana by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst). This study aimed to improve h-IR effect size and reproducibility in the A. thaliana-Pst interaction. We show that recurrent Pst inoculations of seedlings result in stronger h-IR than repeated inoculations of older plants and that disease-related growth repression in the parents is a reliable marker for h-IR effect size in F1 progeny. Furthermore, RT-qPCR-based expression profiling of genes controlling DNA methylation maintenance revealed that the elicitation of strong h-IR upon seedling inoculations is marked by reduced expression of the chromatin remodeler DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1) gene, which is maintained in the apical meristem and transmitted to F1 progeny. Two additional genes, MET1 and CHROMOMETHYLASE3 (CMT3), displayed similar transcriptional repression in progeny from seedling-inoculated plants. Thus, reduced expression of DDM1, MET1, and CMT3 can serve as a marker of robust h-IR in F1 progeny. Our report offers valuable information and markers to improve the effect size and reproducibility of h-IR in the A. thaliana-Pst model interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. Furci
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Plant Epigenetics UnitOkinawa Institute of Science and TechnologyOnnaOkinawaJapan
| | - D. Pascual‐Pardo
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - L. Tirot
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - P. Zhang
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - A. Hannan Parker
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - J. Ton
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodThe University of SheffieldSheffieldUK
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18
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Miranda de la Torre JO, Peppino Margutti MY, Lescano López I, Cambiagno DA, Alvarez ME, Cecchini NM. The Arabidopsis chromatin regulator MOM1 is a negative component of the defense priming induced by AZA, BABA and PIP. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1133327. [PMID: 37229135 PMCID: PMC10203520 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1133327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the establishment of broad and long-lasting immunity is based on programs that control systemic resistance and immunological memory or "priming". Despite not showing activated defenses, a primed plant induces a more efficient response to recurrent infections. Priming might involve chromatin modifications that allow a faster/stronger activation of defense genes. The Arabidopsis chromatin regulator "Morpheus Molecule 1" (MOM1) has been recently suggested as a priming factor affecting the expression of immune receptor genes. Here, we show that mom1 mutants exacerbate the root growth inhibition response triggered by the key defense priming inducers azelaic acid (AZA), β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) and pipecolic acid (PIP). Conversely, mom1 mutants complemented with a minimal version of MOM1 (miniMOM1 plants) are insensitive. Moreover, miniMOM1 is unable to induce systemic resistance against Pseudomonas sp. in response to these inducers. Importantly, AZA, BABA and PIP treatments reduce the MOM1 expression, but not miniMOM1 transcript levels, in systemic tissues. Consistently, several MOM1-regulated immune receptor genes are upregulated during the activation of systemic resistance in WT plants, while this effect is not observed in miniMOM1. Taken together, our results position MOM1 as a chromatin factor that negatively regulates the defense priming induced by AZA, BABA and PIP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián O. Miranda de la Torre
- Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Micaela Y. Peppino Margutti
- Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Ignacio Lescano López
- Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Damián Alejandro Cambiagno
- Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios (UDEA), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA)- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
- Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - María E. Alvarez
- Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nicolás M. Cecchini
- Centro de Investigaciones en Química Biológica de Córdoba, CIQUIBIC, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Departamento de Química Biológica-Ranwel Caputto, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
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19
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Epigenetic Changes Occurring in Plant Inbreeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065407. [PMID: 36982483 PMCID: PMC10048984 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding is the crossing of closely related individuals in nature or a plantation or self-pollinating plants, which produces plants with high homozygosity. This process can reduce genetic diversity in the offspring and decrease heterozygosity, whereas inbred depression (ID) can often reduce viability. Inbred depression is common in plants and animals and has played a significant role in evolution. In the review, we aim to show that inbreeding can, through the action of epigenetic mechanisms, affect gene expression, resulting in changes in the metabolism and phenotype of organisms. This is particularly important in plant breeding because epigenetic profiles can be linked to the deterioration or improvement of agriculturally important characteristics.
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20
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Gallusci P, Agius DR, Moschou PN, Dobránszki J, Kaiserli E, Martinelli F. Deep inside the epigenetic memories of stressed plants. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:142-153. [PMID: 36404175 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2022.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence sheds light on the peculiar type of plant intelligence. Plants have developed complex molecular networks that allow them to remember, choose, and make decisions depending on the stress stimulus, although they lack a nervous system. Being sessile, plants can exploit these networks to optimize their resources cost-effectively and maximize their fitness in response to multiple environmental stresses. Even more interesting is the capability to transmit this experience to the next generation(s) through epigenetic modifications that add to the classical genetic inheritance. In this opinion article, we present concepts and perspectives regarding the capabilities of plants to sense, perceive, remember, re-elaborate, respond, and to some extent transmit to their progeny information to adapt more efficiently to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Gallusci
- Ecophysiologie et Génomique Fonctionnelle de la Vigne (EGFV), University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Sciences Agro, INRAE, ISVV, Villenave d'Ornon, France
| | - Dolores R Agius
- Centre of Molecular Medicine and Biobanking, University of Malta, Msida, Malta; Ġ.F. Abela Junior College, Ġuzè Debono Square, Msida, Malta
| | - Panagiotis N Moschou
- Department of Plant Biology, Uppsala BioCenter, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Linnean Center for Plant Biology, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Biology, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece; Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Judit Dobránszki
- Centre for Agricultural Genomics and Biotechnology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Eirini Kaiserli
- School of Molecular Biosciences, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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21
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Fukagawa T, Kakutani T. Transgenerational epigenetic control of constitutive heterochromatin, transposons, and centromeres. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2023; 78:102021. [PMID: 36716679 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2023.102021] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are important not only for development but also for genome stability and chromosome dynamics. The latter types of epigenetic controls can often be transgenerational. Here, we review recent progress in two examples of transgenerational epigenetic control: i) the control of constitutive heterochromatin and transposable elements and ii) epigenetic mechanisms that regulate centromere specification and functions. We also discuss the biological significance of enigmatic associations among centromeres, transposons, and constitutive heterochromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuo Fukagawa
- Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. https://twitter.com/tatsuofukagawa1
| | - Tetsuji Kakutani
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
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22
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Wilkinson SW, Hannan Parker A, Muench A, Wilson RS, Hooshmand K, Henderson MA, Moffat EK, Rocha PSCF, Hipperson H, Stassen JHM, López Sánchez A, Fomsgaard IS, Krokene P, Mageroy MH, Ton J. Long-lasting memory of jasmonic acid-dependent immunity requires DNA demethylation and ARGONAUTE1. NATURE PLANTS 2023; 9:81-95. [PMID: 36604579 DOI: 10.1038/s41477-022-01313-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Stress can have long-lasting impacts on plants. Here we report the long-term effects of the stress hormone jasmonic acid (JA) on the defence phenotype, transcriptome and DNA methylome of Arabidopsis. Three weeks after transient JA signalling, 5-week-old plants retained induced resistance (IR) against herbivory but showed increased susceptibility to pathogens. Transcriptome analysis revealed long-term priming and/or upregulation of JA-dependent defence genes but repression of ethylene- and salicylic acid-dependent genes. Long-term JA-IR was associated with shifts in glucosinolate composition and required MYC2/3/4 transcription factors, RNA-directed DNA methylation, the DNA demethylase ROS1 and the small RNA (sRNA)-binding protein AGO1. Although methylome analysis did not reveal consistent changes in DNA methylation near MYC2/3/4-controlled genes, JA-treated plants were specifically enriched with hypomethylated ATREP2 transposable elements (TEs). Epigenomic characterization of mutants and transgenic lines revealed that ATREP2 TEs are regulated by RdDM and ROS1 and produce 21 nt sRNAs that bind to nuclear AGO1. Since ATREP2 TEs are enriched with sequences from IR-related defence genes, our results suggest that AGO1-associated sRNAs from hypomethylated ATREP2 TEs trans-regulate long-lasting memory of JA-dependent immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S W Wilkinson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - A Hannan Parker
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - A Muench
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - R S Wilson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - K Hooshmand
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - M A Henderson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - E K Moffat
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - P S C F Rocha
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - H Hipperson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - J H M Stassen
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - A López Sánchez
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - I S Fomsgaard
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Slagelse, Denmark
| | - P Krokene
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant Health, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Ås, Norway
| | - M H Mageroy
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant Health, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (NIBIO), Ås, Norway
| | - J Ton
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
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23
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Bonaguro L, Schulte-Schrepping J, Carraro C, Sun LL, Reiz B, Gemünd I, Saglam A, Rahmouni S, Georges M, Arts P, Hoischen A, Joosten LA, van de Veerdonk FL, Netea MG, Händler K, Mukherjee S, Ulas T, Schultze JL, Aschenbrenner AC. Human variation in population-wide gene expression data predicts gene perturbation phenotype. iScience 2022; 25:105328. [PMID: 36310583 PMCID: PMC9614568 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Population-scale datasets of healthy individuals capture genetic and environmental factors influencing gene expression. The expression variance of a gene of interest (GOI) can be exploited to set up a quasi loss- or gain-of-function "in population" experiment. We describe here an approach, huva (human variation), taking advantage of population-scale multi-layered data to infer gene function and relationships between phenotypes and expression. Within a reference dataset, huva derives two experimental groups with LOW or HIGH expression of the GOI, enabling the subsequent comparison of their transcriptional profile and functional parameters. We demonstrate that this approach robustly identifies the phenotypic relevance of a GOI allowing the stratification of genes according to biological functions, and we generalize this concept to almost 16,000 genes in the human transcriptome. Additionally, we describe how huva predicts monocytes to be the major cell type in the pathophysiology of STAT1 mutations, evidence validated in a clinical cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Bonaguro
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jonas Schulte-Schrepping
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Caterina Carraro
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Laura L. Sun
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Ioanna Gemünd
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, the University of Melbourne, at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Parkville, 3010 VIC, Australia
| | - Adem Saglam
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Souad Rahmouni
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-Institute, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Michel Georges
- Unit of Animal Genomics, GIGA-Institute, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Peer Arts
- Department of Human Genetics and Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Genetics and Molecular Pathology, Centre for Cancer Biology, SA Pathology and the University of South Australia, Adelaide, 5000 SA, Australia
| | - Alexander Hoischen
- Department of Human Genetics and Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Leo A.B. Joosten
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Department of Medical Genetics, “Iuliu Hatieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Frank L. van de Veerdonk
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Mihai G. Netea
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
- Immunology and Metabolism, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Kristian Händler
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), PRECISE Platform for Genomics and Epigenomics at DZNE and University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Sach Mukherjee
- Statistics and Machine Learning, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- MRC Biostatistics Unit, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0SR, UK
| | - Thomas Ulas
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), PRECISE Platform for Genomics and Epigenomics at DZNE and University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Joachim L. Schultze
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), PRECISE Platform for Genomics and Epigenomics at DZNE and University of Bonn, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Anna C. Aschenbrenner
- Systems Medicine, Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE), 53127 Bonn, Germany
- Genomics and Immunoregulation, Life and Medical Sciences (LIMES) Institute, University of Bonn, 53113 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine and Radboud Center for Infectious Diseases (RCI), Radboud University Medical Center, 6525 Nijmegen, the Netherlands
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Sečnik A, Štajner N, Radišek S, Kunej U, Križman M, Jakše J. Cytosine Methylation in Genomic DNA and Characterization of DNA Methylases and Demethylases and Their Expression Profiles in Viroid-Infected Hop Plants ( Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia'). Cells 2022; 11:cells11162592. [PMID: 36010668 PMCID: PMC9406385 DOI: 10.3390/cells11162592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Abiotic and biotic stresses can lead to changes in host DNA methylation, which in plants is also mediated by an RNA-directed DNA methylation mechanism. Infections with viroids have been shown to affect DNA methylation dynamics in different plant hosts. The aim of our research was to determine the content of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) in genomic DNA at the whole genome level of hop plants (Humulus lupulus Var. 'Celeia') infected with different viroids and their combinations and to analyse the expression of the selected genes to improve our understanding of DNA methylation dynamics in plant-viroid systems. The adapted HPLC-UV method used proved to be suitable for this purpose, and thus we were able to estimate for the first time that the cytosine methylation level in viroid-free hop plants was 26.7%. Interestingly, the observed 5-mC level was the lowest in hop plants infected simultaneously with CBCVd, HLVd and HSVd (23.7%), whereas the highest level was observed in plants infected with HLVd (31.4%). In addition, we identified three DNA methylases and one DNA demethylase gene in the hop's draft genome. The RT-qPCR revealed upregulation of all newly identified genes in hop plants infected with all three viroids, while no altered expression was observed in any of the other hop plants tested, except for CBCVd-infected hop plants, in which one DNA methylase was also upregulated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Sečnik
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Štajner
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sebastjan Radišek
- Plant Protection Department, Slovenian Institute of Hop Research and Brewing, 3310 Žalec, Slovenia
| | - Urban Kunej
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Mitja Križman
- Laboratory for Food Chemistry, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jernej Jakše
- Department of Agronomy, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +386-1-3203280
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25
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Immune priming in plants: from the onset to transgenerational maintenance. Essays Biochem 2022; 66:635-646. [PMID: 35822618 PMCID: PMC9528079 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20210082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Enhancing plant resistance against pests and diseases by priming plant immunity is an attractive concept for crop protection because it provides long-lasting broad-spectrum protection against pests and diseases. This review provides a selected overview of the latest advances in research on the molecular, biochemical and epigenetic drivers of plant immune priming. We review recent findings about the perception and signalling mechanisms controlling the onset of priming by the plant stress metabolite β-aminobutyric acid. In addition, we review the evidence for epigenetic regulation of long-term maintenance of priming and discuss how stress-induced reductions in DNA hypomethylation at transposable elements can prime defence genes. Finally, we examine how priming can be exploited in crop protection and articulate the opportunities and challenges of translating research results from the Arabidopsis model system to crops.
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26
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Pereira G, Pereira J, Santos RB, Figueiredo A. Uncovering the role of DNA methyltransferases in grapevine - Plasmopara viticola interaction: From genome-wide characterization to global methylation patterns. Gene 2022; 837:146693. [PMID: 35738444 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2022.146693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation has recently gained prominence in the field of plant-pathogen interactions, providing a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with plant infection. In grapevine interaction with pathogens, epigenetic regulation still remains a black box. In this work, we characterized grapevine DNA methyltransferase gene family and identified nine DNA methyltransferases genes across eight grapevine chromosomes coding for 17 proteins. We also assessed the modulation of global cytosine methylation and gene expression levels of these genes with the aim of establishing a connection between DNA methylation and grapevine resistance towards downy mildew. Our results revealed that, in the incompatible interaction, an early hypomethylation, coupled with downregulation of DNMT and CMT genes occurs very early after pathogen inoculation. Additionally, the compatible interaction is characterized by a hypermethylation at 6hpi. A temporal delay is evident between the shifts in DNA methyltransferases gene expression in both compatible and incompatible interactions which in turn may be reflected in the global methylation percentage. Overall, we present the first evidence of an epigenetic regulation role in grapevine defense against P. viticola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Pereira
- Grapevine Pathogen Systems Lab, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - João Pereira
- Grapevine Pathogen Systems Lab, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rita B Santos
- Grapevine Pathogen Systems Lab, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal; Plant Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, BioISI, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Andreia Figueiredo
- Grapevine Pathogen Systems Lab, BioISI - Biosystems & Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal; Plant Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, BioISI, University of Lisbon, Lisboa, Portugal
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27
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Roles of RNA silencing in viral and non-viral plant immunity and in the crosstalk between disease resistance systems. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:645-662. [PMID: 35710830 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
RNA silencing is a well-established antiviral immunity system in plants, in which small RNAs guide Argonaute proteins to targets in viral RNA or DNA, resulting in virus repression. Virus-encoded suppressors of silencing counteract this defence system. In this Review, we discuss recent findings about antiviral RNA silencing, including the movement of RNA through plasmodesmata and the differentiation between plant self and viral RNAs. We also discuss the emerging role of RNA silencing in plant immunity against non-viral pathogens. This immunity is mediated by transkingdom movement of RNA into and out of the infected plant cells in vesicles or as extracellular nucleoproteins and, like antiviral immunity, is influenced by the silencing suppressors encoded in the pathogens' genomes. Another effect of RNA silencing on general immunity involves host-encoded small RNAs, including microRNAs, that regulate NOD-like receptors and defence signalling pathways in the innate immunity system of plants. These RNA silencing pathways form a network of processes with both positive and negative effects on the immune systems of plants.
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28
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Wilkinson SW, Dalen LS, Skrautvol TO, Ton J, Krokene P, Mageroy MH. Transcriptomic changes during the establishment of long-term methyl jasmonate-induced resistance in Norway spruce. PLANT, CELL & ENVIRONMENT 2022; 45:1891-1913. [PMID: 35348221 PMCID: PMC9321552 DOI: 10.1111/pce.14320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Norway spruce (Picea abies) is an economically and ecologically important tree species that grows across northern and central Europe. Treating Norway spruce with jasmonate has long-lasting beneficial effects on tree resistance to damaging pests, such as the European spruce bark beetle Ips typographus and its fungal associates. The (epi)genetic mechanisms involved in such long-lasting jasmonate induced resistance (IR) have gained much recent interest but remain largely unknown. In this study, we treated 2-year-old spruce seedlings with methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and challenged them with the I. typographus vectored necrotrophic fungus Grosmannia penicillata. MeJA treatment reduced the extent of necrotic lesions in the bark 8 weeks after infection and thus elicited long-term IR against the fungus. The transcriptional response of spruce bark to MeJA treatment was analysed over a 4-week time course using mRNA-seq. This analysis provided evidence that MeJA treatment induced a transient upregulation of jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and ethylene biosynthesis genes and downstream signalling genes. Our data also suggests that defence-related genes are induced while genes related to growth are repressed by methyl jasmonate treatment. These results provide new clues about the potential underpinning mechanisms and costs associated with long-term MeJA-IR in Norway spruce.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel W. Wilkinson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant HealthNorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
| | - Lars S. Dalen
- Department of CommunicationsNorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
| | - Thomas O. Skrautvol
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant HealthNorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource ManagementNorwegian University of Life SciencesÅsNorway
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, Institute for Sustainable FoodUniversity of SheffieldSheffieldUK
| | - Paal Krokene
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant HealthNorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
| | - Melissa H. Mageroy
- Division for Biotechnology and Plant HealthNorwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchÅsNorway
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29
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Halder K, Chaudhuri A, Abdin MZ, Majee M, Datta A. Chromatin-Based Transcriptional Reprogramming in Plants under Abiotic Stresses. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:1449. [PMID: 35684223 PMCID: PMC9182740 DOI: 10.3390/plants11111449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Plants' stress response machinery is characterized by an intricate network of signaling cascades that receive and transmit environmental cues and ultimately trigger transcriptional reprogramming. The family of epigenetic regulators that are the key players in the stress-induced signaling cascade comprise of chromatin remodelers, histone modifiers, DNA modifiers and regulatory non-coding RNAs. Changes in the histone modification and DNA methylation lead to major alterations in the expression level and pattern of stress-responsive genes to adjust with abiotic stress conditions namely heat, cold, drought and salinity. The spotlight of this review falls primarily on the chromatin restructuring under severe abiotic stresses, crosstalk between epigenetic regulators along with a brief discussion on stress priming in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koushik Halder
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India; (K.H.); (A.C.); (M.M.)
- Centre for Transgenic Plant Development, Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India;
| | - Abira Chaudhuri
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India; (K.H.); (A.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Malik Z. Abdin
- Centre for Transgenic Plant Development, Department of Biotechnology, School of Chemical and Life Sciences, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi 110062, India;
| | - Manoj Majee
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India; (K.H.); (A.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Asis Datta
- National Institute of Plant Genome Research, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi 110067, India; (K.H.); (A.C.); (M.M.)
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30
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Catoni M, Alvarez-Venegas R, Worrall D, Holroyd G, Barraza A, Luna E, Ton J, Roberts MR. Long-Lasting Defence Priming by β-Aminobutyric Acid in Tomato Is Marked by Genome-Wide Changes in DNA Methylation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:836326. [PMID: 35498717 PMCID: PMC9051511 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.836326] [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: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Exposure of plants to stress conditions or to certain chemical elicitors can establish a primed state, whereby responses to future stress encounters are enhanced. Stress priming can be long-lasting and likely involves epigenetic regulation of stress-responsive gene expression. However, the molecular events underlying priming are not well understood. Here, we characterise epigenetic changes in tomato plants primed for pathogen resistance by treatment with β-aminobutyric acid (BABA). We used whole genome bisulphite sequencing to construct tomato methylomes from control plants and plants treated with BABA at the seedling stage, and a parallel transcriptome analysis to identify genes primed for the response to inoculation by the fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea. Genomes of plants treated with BABA showed a significant reduction in global cytosine methylation, especially in CHH sequence contexts. Analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) revealed that CHH DMRs were almost exclusively hypomethylated and were enriched in gene promoters and in DNA transposons located in the chromosome arms. Genes overlapping CHH DMRs were enriched for a small number of stress response-related gene ontology terms. In addition, there was significant enrichment of DMRs in the promoters of genes that are differentially expressed in response to infection with B. cinerea. However, the majority of genes that demonstrated priming did not contain DMRs, and nor was the overall distribution of methylated cytosines in primed genes altered by BABA treatment. Hence, we conclude that whilst BABA treatment of tomato seedlings results in characteristic changes in genome-wide DNA methylation, CHH hypomethylation appears only to target a minority of genes showing primed responses to pathogen infection. Instead, methylation may confer priming via in-trans regulation, acting at a distance from defence genes, and/or by targeting a smaller group of regulatory genes controlling stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Catoni
- School of Bioscience, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Raul Alvarez-Venegas
- Departamento de Ingeniería Genética, CINVESTAV-IPN, Unidad Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico
| | - Dawn Worrall
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Geoff Holroyd
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Aarón Barraza
- CONACYT-CIBNOR, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, La Paz, Mexico
| | - Estrella Luna
- School of Bioscience, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- School of Biosciences, Institute of Sustainable Food, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R. Roberts
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
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Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that non-DNA sequence-based epigenetic information can be inherited across several generations in organisms ranging from yeast to plants to humans. This raises the possibility of heritable 'epimutations' contributing to heritable phenotypic variation and thus to evolution. Recent work has shed light on both the signals that underpin these epimutations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, and the mechanisms by which they are transmitted across generations at the molecular level. These mechanisms can vary greatly among species and have a more limited effect in mammals than in plants and other animal species. Nevertheless, common principles are emerging, with transmission occurring either via direct replicative mechanisms or indirect reconstruction of the signal in subsequent generations. As these processes become clearer we continue to improve our understanding of the distinctive features and relative contribution of DNA sequence and epigenetic variation to heritable differences in phenotype.
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32
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Huang CY, Jin H. Coordinated Epigenetic Regulation in Plants: A Potent Managerial Tool to Conquer Biotic Stress. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 12:795274. [PMID: 35046981 PMCID: PMC8762163 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.795274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Plants have evolved variable phenotypic plasticity to counteract different pathogens and pests during immobile life. Microbial infection invokes multiple layers of host immune responses, and plant gene expression is swiftly and precisely reprogramed at both the transcriptional level and post-transcriptional level. Recently, the importance of epigenetic regulation in response to biotic stresses has been recognized. Changes in DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin structures have been observed after microbial infection. In addition, epigenetic modifications may be preserved as transgenerational memories to allow the progeny to better adapt to similar environments. Epigenetic regulation involves various regulatory components, including non-coding small RNAs, DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodelers. The crosstalk between these components allows precise fine-tuning of gene expression, giving plants the capability to fight infections and tolerant drastic environmental changes in nature. Fully unraveling epigenetic regulatory mechanisms could aid in the development of more efficient and eco-friendly strategies for crop protection in agricultural systems. In this review, we discuss the recent advances on the roles of epigenetic regulation in plant biotic stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hailing Jin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Institute for Integrative Genome Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
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33
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Hannan Parker A, Wilkinson SW, Ton J. Epigenetics: a catalyst of plant immunity against pathogens. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:66-83. [PMID: 34455592 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The plant immune system protects against pests and diseases. The recognition of stress-related molecular patterns triggers localised immune responses, which are often followed by longer-lasting systemic priming and/or up-regulation of defences. In some cases, this induced resistance (IR) can be transmitted to following generations. Such transgenerational IR is gradually reversed in the absence of stress at a rate that is proportional to the severity of disease experienced in previous generations. This review outlines the mechanisms by which epigenetic responses to pathogen infection shape the plant immune system across expanding time scales. We review the cis- and trans-acting mechanisms by which stress-inducible epigenetic changes at transposable elements (TEs) regulate genome-wide defence gene expression and draw particular attention to one regulatory model that is supported by recent evidence about the function of AGO1 and H2A.Z in transcriptional control of defence genes. Additionally, we explore how stress-induced mobilisation of epigenetically controlled TEs acts as a catalyst of Darwinian evolution by generating (epi)genetic diversity at environmentally responsive genes. This raises questions about the long-term evolutionary consequences of stress-induced diversification of the plant immune system in relation to the long-held dichotomy between Darwinian and Lamarckian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Hannan Parker
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Samuel W Wilkinson
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Food, Western Bank, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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34
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Rodrigues da Silva A, da Costa Silva D, Dos Santos Pinto KN, Santos Filho HP, Coelho Filho MA, Dos Santos Soares Filho W, Ferreira CF, da Silva Gesteira A. Epigenetic responses to Phytophthora citrophthora gummosis in citrus. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 313:111082. [PMID: 34763867 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2021.111082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Studies show that DNA methylation is associated with plant immunity but little is known as to how this epigenetic mechanism assists plants in adjusting their responses to biotic stress, especially when interacting with an hemibiotrophic pathogen such as citrus Phytophthora. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of scion-rootstock interaction on plant resistance to P. citrophthora infection and DNA methylation patterns in 'Pera' sweet orange and 'Tahiti' acid lime grafted onto 'Rangpur' lime and 'Tropical' sunki rootstocks reinoculated with P. citrophthora. Results showed that reinoculated plants of the 'Pera' sweet orange/'Rangpur' lime and 'Tahiti' acid lime/'Tropical' sunki combinations with more and less sensitive varieties to Phytophthora, presented smaller stem lesions and increased frequency of full methylation and hemimethylation rates, compared to inoculated plants. In contrast, 'Tahiti' acid lime/'Rangpur' lime, two highly sensitive varieties, and 'Pera'/'Tropical' sunki, two much less sensitive varieties, showed high increases in the frequency of hemimethylation and non-methylation levels. Results suggest that in citrus, both the scion-rootstock interaction and DNA methylation affect the response to P. citrophthora infection. Reinoculated plants, depending on the combination, showed changes in intracellular hyphae growth through the formation of sets of fibers and crystal accumulation in the periderm, cortex, and phloem. In addition, starch grain concentration was higher in reinoculated plants in comparison to inoculated plants. These findings support the assumption that DNA methylation is a plant defense mechanism and therefore may be exploited to improve the response of plants to the gummosis of P. citrophthora in citrus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adielle Rodrigues da Silva
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, 45662-900, Brazil
| | - Delmira da Costa Silva
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, 45662-900, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Abelmon da Silva Gesteira
- Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Genética e Biologia Molecular, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia, 45662-900, Brazil; Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, Bahia, 44380-000, Brazil.
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35
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Saradadevi GP, Das D, Mangrauthia SK, Mohapatra S, Chikkaputtaiah C, Roorkiwal M, Solanki M, Sundaram RM, Chirravuri NN, Sakhare AS, Kota S, Varshney RK, Mohannath G. Genetic, Epigenetic, Genomic and Microbial Approaches to Enhance Salt Tolerance of Plants: A Comprehensive Review. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10121255. [PMID: 34943170 PMCID: PMC8698797 DOI: 10.3390/biology10121255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Globally, soil salinity, which refers to salt-affected soils, is increasing due to various environmental factors and human activities. Soil salinity poses one of the most serious challenges in the field of agriculture as it significantly reduces the growth and yield of crop plants, both quantitatively and qualitatively. Over the last few decades, several studies have been carried out to understand plant biology in response to soil salinity stress with a major emphasis on genetic and other hereditary components. Based on the outcome of these studies, several approaches are being followed to enhance plants’ ability to tolerate salt stress while still maintaining reasonable levels of crop yields. In this manuscript, we comprehensively list and discuss various biological approaches being followed and, based on the recent advances in the field of molecular biology, we propose some new approaches to improve salinity tolerance of crop plants. The global scientific community can make use of this information for the betterment of crop plants. This review also highlights the importance of maintaining global soil health to prevent several crop plant losses. Abstract Globally, soil salinity has been on the rise owing to various factors that are both human and environmental. The abiotic stress caused by soil salinity has become one of the most damaging abiotic stresses faced by crop plants, resulting in significant yield losses. Salt stress induces physiological and morphological modifications in plants as a result of significant changes in gene expression patterns and signal transduction cascades. In this comprehensive review, with a major focus on recent advances in the field of plant molecular biology, we discuss several approaches to enhance salinity tolerance in plants comprising various classical and advanced genetic and genetic engineering approaches, genomics and genome editing technologies, and plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR)-based approaches. Furthermore, based on recent advances in the field of epigenetics, we propose novel approaches to create and exploit heritable genome-wide epigenetic variation in crop plants to enhance salinity tolerance. Specifically, we describe the concepts and the underlying principles of epigenetic recombinant inbred lines (epiRILs) and other epigenetic variants and methods to generate them. The proposed epigenetic approaches also have the potential to create additional genetic variation by modulating meiotic crossover frequency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gargi Prasad Saradadevi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (G.P.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Debajit Das
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat 785006, India; (D.D.); (C.C.)
| | - Satendra K. Mangrauthia
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Sridev Mohapatra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (G.P.S.); (S.M.)
| | - Channakeshavaiah Chikkaputtaiah
- Biological Sciences and Technology Division, CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat 785006, India; (D.D.); (C.C.)
| | - Manish Roorkiwal
- Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad 502324, India;
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Manish Solanki
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Raman Meenakshi Sundaram
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Neeraja N. Chirravuri
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Akshay S. Sakhare
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
| | - Suneetha Kota
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Rice Research, Hyderabad 500030, India; (S.K.M.); (M.S.); (R.M.S.); (N.N.C.); (A.S.S.)
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (R.K.V.); (G.M.); Tel.: +91-40-245-91268 (S.K.); +91-84-556-83305 (R.K.V.); +91-40-66303697 (G.M.)
| | - Rajeev K. Varshney
- Center of Excellence in Genomics & Systems Biology, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Hyderabad 502324, India;
- The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- State Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Centre for Crop and Food Innovation, Food Futures Institute, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (R.K.V.); (G.M.); Tel.: +91-40-245-91268 (S.K.); +91-84-556-83305 (R.K.V.); +91-40-66303697 (G.M.)
| | - Gireesha Mohannath
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, Hyderabad 500078, India; (G.P.S.); (S.M.)
- Correspondence: (S.K.); (R.K.V.); (G.M.); Tel.: +91-40-245-91268 (S.K.); +91-84-556-83305 (R.K.V.); +91-40-66303697 (G.M.)
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Abstract
Plant intra-individual and inter-individual variation can be determined by the epigenome, a set of covalent modifications of DNA and chromatin that can alter genome structure and activity without changes to the genome sequence. The epigenome of plant cells is plastic, that is, it can change in response to internal or external cues, such as during development or due to environmental changes, to create a memory of such events. Ongoing advances in technologies to read and write epigenomic patterns with increasing resolution, scale and precision are enabling the extent of plant epigenome variation to be more extensively characterized and functionally interrogated. In this Review, we discuss epigenome dynamics and variation within plants during development and in response to environmental changes, including stress, as well as between plants. We review known or potential functions of such plasticity and emphasize the importance of investigating the causality of epigenomic changes. Finally, we discuss emerging technologies that may underpin future research into plant epigenome plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P B Lloyd
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Ryan Lister
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Plant Energy Biology, School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
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Yassin M, Ton J, Rolfe SA, Valentine TA, Cromey M, Holden N, Newton AC. The rise, fall and resurrection of chemical-induced resistance agents. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2021; 77:3900-3909. [PMID: 33729685 DOI: 10.1002/ps.6370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Since the discovery that the plant immune system could be augmented for improved deployment against biotic stressors through the exogenous application of chemicals that lead to induced resistance (IR), many such IR-eliciting agents have been identified. Initially it was hoped that these chemical IR agents would be a benign alternative to traditional chemical biocides. However, owing to low efficacy and/or a realization that their benefits sometimes come at the cost of growth and yield penalties, chemical IR agents fell out of favour and were seldom used as crop protection products. Despite the lack of interest in agricultural use, researchers have continued to explore the efficacy and mechanisms of chemical IR. Moreover, as we move away from the approach of 'zero tolerance' toward plant pests and pathogens toward integrated pest management, chemical IR agents could have a place in the plant protection product list. In this review, we chart the rise and fall of chemical IR agents, and then explore a variety of strategies used to improve their efficacy and remediate their negative adverse effects. © 2021 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mustafa Yassin
- Plant Production and Protection Institute and Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
- James Hutton Institute, Dundee, UK
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- Plant Production and Protection Institute and Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Stephen A Rolfe
- Plant Production and Protection Institute and Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Matthew Cromey
- Department of Plant Health, Royal Horticultural Society, Woking, UK
| | - Nicola Holden
- Scotland's Rural Colleges, Craibstone Estate, Aberdeen, UK
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38
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Kakoulidou I, Avramidou EV, Baránek M, Brunel-Muguet S, Farrona S, Johannes F, Kaiserli E, Lieberman-Lazarovich M, Martinelli F, Mladenov V, Testillano PS, Vassileva V, Maury S. Epigenetics for Crop Improvement in Times of Global Change. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:766. [PMID: 34439998 PMCID: PMC8389687 DOI: 10.3390/biology10080766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics has emerged as an important research field for crop improvement under the on-going climatic changes. Heritable epigenetic changes can arise independently of DNA sequence alterations and have been associated with altered gene expression and transmitted phenotypic variation. By modulating plant development and physiological responses to environmental conditions, epigenetic diversity-naturally, genetically, chemically, or environmentally induced-can help optimise crop traits in an era challenged by global climate change. Beyond DNA sequence variation, the epigenetic modifications may contribute to breeding by providing useful markers and allowing the use of epigenome diversity to predict plant performance and increase final crop production. Given the difficulties in transferring the knowledge of the epigenetic mechanisms from model plants to crops, various strategies have emerged. Among those strategies are modelling frameworks dedicated to predicting epigenetically controlled-adaptive traits, the use of epigenetics for in vitro regeneration to accelerate crop breeding, and changes of specific epigenetic marks that modulate gene expression of traits of interest. The key challenge that agriculture faces in the 21st century is to increase crop production by speeding up the breeding of resilient crop species. Therefore, epigenetics provides fundamental molecular information with potential direct applications in crop enhancement, tolerance, and adaptation within the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioanna Kakoulidou
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, 85354 Freising, Germany; (I.K.); (F.J.)
| | - Evangelia V. Avramidou
- Laboratory of Forest Genetics and Biotechnology, Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (ELGO-DIMITRA), 11528 Athens, Greece;
| | - Miroslav Baránek
- Faculty of Horticulture, Mendeleum—Institute of Genetics, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 334, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic;
| | - Sophie Brunel-Muguet
- UMR 950 Ecophysiologie Végétale, Agronomie et Nutritions N, C, S, UNICAEN, INRAE, Normandie Université, CEDEX, F-14032 Caen, France;
| | - Sara Farrona
- Plant and AgriBiosciences Centre, Ryan Institute, National University of Ireland (NUI) Galway, H91 TK33 Galway, Ireland;
| | - Frank Johannes
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Liesel-Beckmann-Str. 2, 85354 Freising, Germany; (I.K.); (F.J.)
- Institute for Advanced Study, Technical University of Munich, Lichtenberg Str. 2a, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Eirini Kaiserli
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Michal Lieberman-Lazarovich
- Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Rishon LeZion 7505101, Israel;
| | - Federico Martinelli
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Velimir Mladenov
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Sq. Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Pilar S. Testillano
- Pollen Biotechnology of Crop Plants Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas-(CIB-CSIC), Ramiro Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Valya Vassileva
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Bldg. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Stéphane Maury
- Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures, INRAE, EA1207 USC1328, Université d’Orléans, F-45067 Orléans, France
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39
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The Underlying Nature of Epigenetic Variation: Origin, Establishment, and Regulatory Function of Plant Epialleles. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168618. [PMID: 34445323 PMCID: PMC8395315 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In plants, the gene expression and associated phenotypes can be modulated by dynamic changes in DNA methylation, occasionally being fixed in certain genomic loci and inherited stably as epialleles. Epiallelic variations in a population can occur as methylation changes at an individual cytosine position, methylation changes within a stretch of genomic regions, and chromatin changes in certain loci. Here, we focus on methylated regions, since it is unclear whether variations at individual methylated cytosines can serve any regulatory function, and the evidence for heritable chromatin changes independent of genetic changes is limited. While DNA methylation is known to affect and regulate wide arrays of plant phenotypes, most epialleles in the form of methylated regions have not been assigned any biological function. Here, we review how epialleles can be established in plants, serve a regulatory function, and are involved in adaptive processes. Recent studies suggest that most epialleles occur as byproducts of genetic variations, mainly from structural variants and Transposable Element (TE) activation. Nevertheless, epialleles that occur spontaneously independent of any genetic variations have also been described across different plant species. Here, we discuss how epialleles that are dependent and independent of genetic architecture are stabilized in the plant genome and how methylation can regulate a transcription relative to its genomic location.
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Mladenov V, Fotopoulos V, Kaiserli E, Karalija E, Maury S, Baranek M, Segal N, Testillano PS, Vassileva V, Pinto G, Nagel M, Hoenicka H, Miladinović D, Gallusci P, Vergata C, Kapazoglou A, Abraham E, Tani E, Gerakari M, Sarri E, Avramidou E, Gašparović M, Martinelli F. Deciphering the Epigenetic Alphabet Involved in Transgenerational Stress Memory in Crops. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7118. [PMID: 34281171 PMCID: PMC8268041 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22137118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Although epigenetic modifications have been intensely investigated over the last decade due to their role in crop adaptation to rapid climate change, it is unclear which epigenetic changes are heritable and therefore transmitted to their progeny. The identification of epigenetic marks that are transmitted to the next generations is of primary importance for their use in breeding and for the development of new cultivars with a broad-spectrum of tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this review, we discuss general aspects of plant responses to environmental stresses and provide an overview of recent findings on the role of transgenerational epigenetic modifications in crops. In addition, we take the opportunity to describe the aims of EPI-CATCH, an international COST action consortium composed by researchers from 28 countries. The aim of this COST action launched in 2020 is: (1) to define standardized pipelines and methods used in the study of epigenetic mechanisms in plants, (2) update, share, and exchange findings in epigenetic responses to environmental stresses in plants, (3) develop new concepts and frontiers in plant epigenetics and epigenomics, (4) enhance dissemination, communication, and transfer of knowledge in plant epigenetics and epigenomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Velimir Mladenov
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Sq. Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Vasileios Fotopoulos
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Biotechnology & Food Science, Cyprus University of Technology, Lemesos 3036, Cyprus;
| | - Eirini Kaiserli
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK;
| | - Erna Karalija
- Laboratory for Plant Physiology, Department for Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Sarajevo, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina;
| | - Stephane Maury
- INRAe, EA1207 USC1328 Laboratoire de Biologie des Ligneux et des Grandes Cultures, Université d’Orléans, 45067 Orléans, France;
| | - Miroslav Baranek
- Mendeleum—Insitute of Genetics, Faculty of Horticulture, Mendel University in Brno, Valtická 334, 69144 Lednice, Czech Republic;
| | - Naama Segal
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, The National Center for Mariculture (NCM), P.O.B. 1212, Eilat 88112, Israel;
| | - Pilar S. Testillano
- Center of Biological Research Margarita Salas, CIB-CSIC, Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Valya Vassileva
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Institute of Plant Physiology and Genetics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Acad. Georgi Bonchev Str., Bldg. 21, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria;
| | - Glória Pinto
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Biology Department, Campus de Santiago, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal;
| | - Manuela Nagel
- Genebank Department, Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben, 06466 Seeland, Germany;
| | - Hans Hoenicka
- Genomic Research Department, Thünen Institute of Forest Genetics, 22927 Grosshansdorf, Germany;
| | - Dragana Miladinović
- Laboratory for Biotechnology, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;
| | - Philippe Gallusci
- UMR Ecophysiologie et Génomique Fonctionnelle de la Vigne, Université de Bordeaux, INRAE, Bordeaux Science Agro, 210 Chemin de Leysotte—CS5000833882 Villenave d’Ornon, 33076 Bordeaux, France;
| | - Chiara Vergata
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
| | - Aliki Kapazoglou
- Department of Vitis, Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Crops and Viticulture (IOSV), Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Dimitra (HAO-Dimitra), Sofokli Venizelou 1, Lykovrysi, 14123 Athens, Greece;
| | - Eleni Abraham
- Laboratory of Range Science, School of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Eleni Tani
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Maria Gerakari
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Efi Sarri
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Evaggelia Avramidou
- Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Biometry, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece; (E.T.); (M.G.); (E.S.); (E.A.)
| | - Mateo Gašparović
- Chair of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Faculty of Geodesy, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Federico Martinelli
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy;
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Wang L, Han J, Lu K, Li M, Gao M, Cao Z, Zhao T, Chen X, Tao X, Chen Q, Guan X. Functional examination of lncRNAs in allotetraploid Gossypium hirsutum. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:443. [PMID: 34120591 PMCID: PMC8201905 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07771-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND An evolutionary model using diploid and allotetraploid cotton species identified 80 % of non-coding transcripts in allotetraploid cotton as being uniquely activated in comparison with its diploid ancestors. The function of the lncRNAs activated in allotetraploid cotton remain largely unknown. RESULTS We employed transcriptome analysis to examine the relationship between the lncRNAs and mRNAs of protein coding genes (PCGs) in cotton leaf tissue under abiotic stresses. LncRNA expression was preferentially associated with that of the flanking PCGs. Selected highly-expressed lncRNA candidates (n = 111) were subjected to a functional screening pilot test in which virus-induced gene silencing was integrated with abiotic stress treatment. From this low-throughput screen, we obtained candidate lncRNAs relating to plant height and tolerance to drought and other abiotic stresses. CONCLUSIONS Low-throughput screen is an effective method to find functional lncRNA for further study. LncRNAs were more active in abiotic stresses than PCG expression, especially temperature stress. LncRNA XLOC107738 may take a cis-regulatory role in response to environmental stimuli. The degree to which lncRNAs are constitutively expressed may impact expression patterns and functions on the individual gene level rather than in genome-wide aggregate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jin Han
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Kening Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Menglin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Mengtao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zeyi Cao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ting Zhao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Genetics and Germplasm Enhancement, Cotton Hybrid R & D Engineering Center (the Ministry of Education), College of Agriculture, Nanjing Agricultural University, 210095, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Tao
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Quanjia Chen
- Engineering Research Centre of Cotton, Ministry of Education / College of Agriculture, Xinjiang Agricultural University, 311 Nongda East Road, 830052, Urumqi, China.
| | - Xueying Guan
- College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 210058, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
- Hainan Institute of Zhejiang University, Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, Building 11, Yonyou Industrial Park, Yazhou District, Hainan Province, 572025, Sanya, China.
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42
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Noshay JM, Springer NM. Stories that can't be told by SNPs; DNA methylation variation in plant populations. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 61:101989. [PMID: 33445144 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2020.101989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic variation has been observed in many plant populations. This variation can influence qualitative and quantitative traits. A key question is whether there is novel information in the epigenome that is not captured by SNP-based genetic markers. The answer likely varies depending on the sources and stability of epigenetic variation as well as the type of population being studied. We consider the epigenetic variation in several plant systems and how this relates to potential for hidden information that could increase our understanding of phenotypic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn M Noshay
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Nathan M Springer
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA.
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43
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Ramos-Cruz D, Troyee AN, Becker C. Epigenetics in plant organismic interactions. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2021; 61:102060. [PMID: 34087759 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2021.102060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Plants are hubs of organismic interactions. They constantly engage in beneficial or competitive interactions with fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, insects, nematodes, and other plants. To adjust the molecular processes necessary for the establishment and maintenance of beneficial interactions and for the defense against pathogens and herbivores, plants have evolved intricate regulatory mechanisms. Besides the canonical plant immune system that acts as the primary defense, epigenetic mechanisms have started to emerge as another regulatory entity and as a target of pathogens trying to overcome the plant's defenses. In this review, we highlight recent advances in understanding the contribution of various epigenetic components and of epigenetic diversity to plant-organismic interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ramos-Cruz
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - A Niloya Troyee
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Doñana Biological Station, CSIC, 41092 Sevilla, Spain
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), 1030 Vienna, Austria; Genetics, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany.
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44
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Domschke
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, and Center for Basics in NeuroModulation, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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45
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Zhao T, Mei H, Cao Z, Wang L, Tao X, Feng S, Fang L, Guan X. Absence of CG methylation alters the long noncoding transcriptome landscape in multiple species. FEBS Lett 2021; 595:1734-1747. [PMID: 33950520 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The noncoding regions throughout the genome are in large part comprised of transposable elements (TEs), some of which are functionalized with long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). DNA methylation is predominantly associated with TEs, but little is known about its contribution to the transcription of lincRNAs. Here, we examine the lincRNA profiles of DNA methylation-related mutants of five species, Arabidopsis, rice, tomato, maize, and mouse, to elucidate patterns in lincRNA regulation under altered DNA methylation status. Significant activation of lincRNAs was observed in the absence of CG DNA methylation rather than non-CG. Our study establishes a working model of the contribution of DNA methylation to regulation of the dynamic activity of lincRNA transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Zhao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Huan Mei
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zeyi Cao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Luyao Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,College of Agriculture, Engineering Research Center of Ministry of Cotton Education, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Xiaoyuan Tao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shouli Feng
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Fang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xueying Guan
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Resources, Institute of Crop Science, Plant Precision Breeding Academy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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46
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Perspectives for epigenetic editing in crops. Transgenic Res 2021; 30:381-400. [PMID: 33891288 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-021-00252-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Site-specific nucleases (SSNs) have drawn much attention in plant biotechnology due to their ability to drive precision mutagenesis, gene targeting or allele replacement. However, when devoid of its nuclease activity, the underlying DNA-binding activity of SSNs can be used to bring other protein functional domains close to specific genomic sites, thus expanding further the range of applications of the technology. In particular, the addition of functional domains encoding epigenetic effectors and chromatin modifiers to the CRISPR/Cas ribonucleoprotein complex opens the possibility to introduce targeted epigenomic modifications in plants in an easily programmable manner. Here we examine some of the most important agronomic traits known to be controlled epigenetically and review the best studied epigenetic catalytic effectors in plants, such as DNA methylases/demethylases or histone acetylases/deacetylases and their associated marks. We also review the most efficient strategies developed to date to functionalize Cas proteins with both catalytic and non-catalytic epigenetic effectors, and the ability of these domains to influence the expression of endogenous genes in a regulatable manner. Based on these new technical developments, we discuss the possibilities offered by epigenetic editing tools in plant biotechnology and their implications in crop breeding.
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Multifaceted Chromatin Structure and Transcription Changes in Plant Stress Response. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22042013. [PMID: 33670556 PMCID: PMC7922328 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sessile plants are exposed throughout their existence to environmental abiotic and biotic stress factors, such as cold, heat, salinity, drought, dehydration, submergence, waterlogging, and pathogen infection. Chromatin organization affects genome stability, and its dynamics are crucial in plant stress responses. Chromatin dynamics are epigenetically regulated and are required for stress-induced transcriptional regulation or reprogramming. Epigenetic regulators facilitate the phenotypic plasticity of development and the survival and reproduction of plants in unfavorable environments, and they are highly diversified, including histone and DNA modifiers, histone variants, chromatin remodelers, and regulatory non-coding RNAs. They contribute to chromatin modifications, remodeling and dynamics, and constitute a multilayered and multifaceted circuitry for sophisticated and robust epigenetic regulation of plant stress responses. However, this complicated epigenetic regulatory circuitry creates challenges for elucidating the common or differential roles of chromatin modifications for transcriptional regulation or reprogramming in different plant stress responses. Particularly, interacting chromatin modifications and heritable stress memories are difficult to identify in the aspect of chromatin-based epigenetic regulation of transcriptional reprogramming and memory. Therefore, this review discusses the recent updates from the three perspectives—stress specificity or dependence of transcriptional reprogramming, the interplay of chromatin modifications, and transcriptional stress memory in plants. This helps solidify our knowledge on chromatin-based transcriptional reprogramming for plant stress response and memory.
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Liu F, Wu Z, Zhang X, Xi G, Zhao Z, Lai M, Zhao M. Microbial community and metabolic function analysis of cigar tobacco leaves during fermentation. Microbiologyopen 2021; 10:e1171. [PMID: 33970539 PMCID: PMC8483401 DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cigar tobacco leaves (CTLs) contain abundant bacteria and fungi that are vital to leaf quality during fermentation. In this study, artificial fermentation was used for the fermentation of CTLs since it was more controllable and efficient than natural aging. The bacterial and fungal community structure and composition in unfermented and fermented CTLs were determined to understand the effects of microbes on the characteristics of CTLs during artificial fermentation. The relationship between the chemical contents and alterations in the microbial composition was evaluated, and the functions of bacteria and fungi in fermented CTLs were predicted to determine the possible metabolic pathways. After artificial fermentation, the bacterial and fungal community structure significantly changed in CTLs. The total nitrate and nicotine contents were most readily affected by the bacterial and fungal communities, respectively. FAPROTAX software predictions of the bacterial community revealed increases in functions related to compound transformation after fermentation. FUNGuild predictions of the fungal community revealed an increase in the content of saprotrophic fungi after fermentation. These data provide information regarding the artificial fermentation mechanism of CTLs and will inform safety and quality improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Liu
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Zhiyong Wu
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Xiaoping Zhang
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Gaolei Xi
- China Tobacco Henan Ind Co Ltd, Ctr TechnolZhengzhouChina
| | - Zhe Zhao
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Miao Lai
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
| | - Mingqin Zhao
- College of Tobacco ScienceHenan Agricultural UniversityZhengzhouChina
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Srikant T, Drost HG. How Stress Facilitates Phenotypic Innovation Through Epigenetic Diversity. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 11:606800. [PMID: 33519857 PMCID: PMC7843580 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2020.606800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate adaptation through phenotypic innovation will become the main challenge for plants during global warming. Plants exhibit a plethora of mechanisms to achieve environmental and developmental plasticity by inducing dynamic alterations of gene regulation and by maximizing natural variation through large population sizes. While successful over long evolutionary time scales, most of these mechanisms lack the short-term adaptive responsiveness that global warming will require. Here, we review our current understanding of the epigenetic regulation of plant genomes, with a focus on stress-response mechanisms and transgenerational inheritance. Field and laboratory-scale experiments on plants exposed to stress have revealed a multitude of temporally controlled, mechanistic strategies integrating both genetic and epigenetic changes on the genome level. We analyze inter- and intra-species population diversity to discuss how methylome differences and transposon activation can be harnessed for short-term adaptive efforts to shape co-evolving traits in response to qualitatively new climate conditions and environmental stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hajk-Georg Drost
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
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López Sánchez A, Pascual-Pardo D, Furci L, Roberts MR, Ton J. Costs and Benefits of Transgenerational Induced Resistance in Arabidopsis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:644999. [PMID: 33719325 PMCID: PMC7952753 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.644999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Recent evidence suggests that stressed plants employ epigenetic mechanisms to transmit acquired resistance traits to their progeny. However, the evolutionary and ecological significance of transgenerational induced resistance (t-IR) is poorly understood because a clear understanding of how parents interpret environmental cues in relation to the effectiveness, stability, and anticipated ecological costs of t-IR is lacking. Here, we have used a full factorial design to study the specificity, costs, and transgenerational stability of t-IR following exposure of Arabidopsis thaliana to increasing stress intensities by a biotrophic pathogen, a necrotrophic pathogen, and salinity. We show that t-IR in response to infection by biotrophic or necrotrophic pathogens is effective against pathogens of the same lifestyle. This pathogen-mediated t-IR is associated with ecological costs, since progeny from biotroph-infected parents were more susceptible to both necrotrophic pathogens and salt stress, whereas progeny from necrotroph-infected parents were more susceptible to biotrophic pathogens. Hence, pathogen-mediated t-IR provides benefits when parents and progeny are in matched environments but is associated with costs that become apparent in mismatched environments. By contrast, soil salinity failed to mediate t-IR against salt stress in matched environments but caused non-specific t-IR against both biotrophic and necrotrophic pathogens in mismatched environments. However, the ecological relevance of this non-specific t-IR response remains questionable as its induction was offset by major reproductive costs arising from dramatically reduced seed production and viability. Finally, we show that the costs and transgenerational stability of pathogen-mediated t-IR are proportional to disease pressure experienced by the parents, suggesting that plants use disease severity as an environmental proxy to adjust investment in t-IR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana López Sánchez
- Plant Production and Protection (P3) Centre, Institute for Sustainable Food, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Ana López Sánchez,
| | - David Pascual-Pardo
- Plant Production and Protection (P3) Centre, Institute for Sustainable Food, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Leonardo Furci
- Plant Production and Protection (P3) Centre, Institute for Sustainable Food, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Michael R. Roberts
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom
| | - Jurriaan Ton
- Plant Production and Protection (P3) Centre, Institute for Sustainable Food, Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Jurriaan Ton,
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