First insights into the rhizospheric bacterial abundance data of Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B.Rob. from Indian Sundarbans

This article reports the analyses of the rhizospheric microbiome of the terrestrial mangrove Ceriops tagal (Perr.) C.B.Rob. from the Indian Sundarbans. Samples were collected using standard protocols and 16S rRNA gene V3–V4 region amplicon sequencing was performed to identify the bacterial communities prevalent in the rhizosphere. A total of 1,74,324 quality checked reads were assembled into contigs and were analyzed using QIIME2 and MetaG server to reveal the abundance of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Actinobacteria. The data is available at the NCBI - Sequence Read Archive with accession number: SRR15652592. This is the first report of the rhizospheric microbiome belonging to this plant from the Indian Sundarbans.

DNA methylation and regulation of gene expression: Guardian of our health

One of the most critical epigenetic signatures present in the genome of higher eukaryotes is the methylation of DNA at the C-5 position of the cytosine ring. Based on the sites of DNA methylation in a locus, it can serve as a repressive or activation mark for gene expression. In a crosstalk with histone modifiers, DNA methylation can consequently either inhibit binding of the transcription machinery or generate a landscape conducive for transcription. During developmental phases, the DNA methylation pattern in the genome undergoes alterations as a result of regulated balance between de novo DNA methylation and demethylation. Resultantly, differentiated cells inherit a unique DNA methylation pattern that fine tunes tissue-specific gene expression. Although apparently a stable epigenetic mark, DNA methylation is actually labile and is a complex reflection of interaction between epigenome, genome and environmental factors prior to birth and during progression of life. Recent findings indicate that levels of DNA methylation in an individual is a dynamic outcome, strongly influenced by the dietary environment during germ cell formation, embryogenesis and post birth exposures. Loss of balances in DNA methylation during developmental stages may result in imprinting disorders, while at any later stage may lead to increased predisposition to various diseases and abnormalities. This review aims to provide an outline of how our epigenome is uniquely guided by our lifetime of experiences beginning in the womb and how understanding it better holds future possibilities of improvised clinical applications.