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Vo BT, Mas P, Johannes F. Time's up: Epigenetic clocks in plants. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2024; 81:102602. [PMID: 39024859 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
For over a decade, the animal field has led the way in using DNA methylation measurements to construct epigenetic clocks of aging. These clocks can predict organismal age with a level of accuracy that surpasses any other molecular proxy known to date. Evidence is finally emerging that epigenetic clocks also exist in plants. However, these clocks appear to differ from those in animals in some key aspects, including in their ability to measure time beyond the life span of an individual. Clock-like epigenetic changes can be found in plant circadian rhythms (scale: 24 h), during plant aging (scale: weeks/centuries), and across plant lineage evolution (scale: decades/millennia). Here, we provide a first classification of these different types of epigenetic clocks, highlight their main features, and discuss their biological basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binh Thanh Vo
- Plant Epigenomics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany
| | - Paloma Mas
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Frank Johannes
- Plant Epigenomics, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, 85354, Freising, Germany.
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2
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Sellinger T, Johannes F, Tellier A. Improved inference of population histories by integrating genomic and epigenomic data. eLife 2024; 12:RP89470. [PMID: 39264367 PMCID: PMC11392530 DOI: 10.7554/elife.89470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2024] Open
Abstract
With the availability of high-quality full genome polymorphism (SNPs) data, it becomes feasible to study the past demographic and selective history of populations in exquisite detail. However, such inferences still suffer from a lack of statistical resolution for recent, for example bottlenecks, events, and/or for populations with small nucleotide diversity. Additional heritable (epi)genetic markers, such as indels, transposable elements, microsatellites, or cytosine methylation, may provide further, yet untapped, information on the recent past population history. We extend the Sequential Markovian Coalescent (SMC) framework to jointly use SNPs and other hyper-mutable markers. We are able to (1) improve the accuracy of demographic inference in recent times, (2) uncover past demographic events hidden to SNP-based inference methods, and (3) infer the hyper-mutable marker mutation rates under a finite site model. As a proof of principle, we focus on demographic inference in Arabidopsis thaliana using DNA methylation diversity data from 10 European natural accessions. We demonstrate that segregating single methylated polymorphisms (SMPs) satisfy the modeling assumptions of the SMC framework, while differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are not suitable as their length exceeds that of the genomic distance between two recombination events. Combining SNPs and SMPs while accounting for site- and region-level epimutation processes, we provide new estimates of the glacial age bottleneck and post-glacial population expansion of the European A. thaliana population. Our SMC framework readily accounts for a wide range of heritable genomic markers, thus paving the way for next-generation inference of evolutionary history by combining information from several genetic and epigenetic markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaut Sellinger
- Professorship for Population Genetics, Department of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Environment and Biodiversity, Paris Lodron University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Frank Johannes
- Professorship for Plant Epigenomics, Department of Molecular Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Aurélien Tellier
- Professorship for Population Genetics, Department of Life Science Systems, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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3
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Feng J, Dan X, Cui Y, Gong Y, Peng M, Sang Y, Ingvarsson PK, Wang J. Integrating evolutionary genomics of forest trees to inform future tree breeding amid rapid climate change. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024:101044. [PMID: 39095989 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.101044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Global climate change is leading to rapid and drastic shifts in environmental conditions, posing threats to biodiversity and nearly all life forms worldwide. Forest trees serve as foundational components of terrestrial ecosystems and play a crucial and leading role in combating and mitigating the adverse effects of extreme climate events, despite their own vulnerability to these threats. Therefore, understanding and monitoring how natural forests respond to rapid climate change is a key priority for biodiversity conservation. Recent progress in evolutionary genomics, driven primarily by cutting-edge multi-omics technologies, offers powerful new tools to address several key issues. These include precise delineation of species and evolutionary units, inference of past evolutionary histories and demographic fluctuations, identification of environmentally adaptive variants, and measurement of genetic load levels. As the urgency to deal with more extreme environmental stresses grows, understanding the genomics of evolutionary history, local adaptation, future responses to climate change, and conservation and restoration of natural forest trees will be critical for research at the nexus of global change, population genomics, and conservation biology. In this review, we explore the application of evolutionary genomics to assess the effects of global climate change using multi-omics approaches and discuss the outlook for breeding of climate-adapted trees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Feng
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuming Dan
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yangkai Cui
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Gong
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Minyue Peng
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yupeng Sang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Pär K Ingvarsson
- Department of Plant Biology, Linnean Centre for Plant Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory for Bio-Resources and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
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Serson WR, Gishini MFS, Stupar RM, Stec AO, Armstrong PR, Hildebrand D. Identification and Candidate Gene Evaluation of a Large Fast Neutron-Induced Deletion Associated with a High-Oil Phenotype in Soybean Seeds. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:892. [PMID: 39062671 PMCID: PMC11276498 DOI: 10.3390/genes15070892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the dawn of agriculture, crops have been genetically altered for desirable characteristics. This has included the selection of natural and induced mutants. Increasing the production of plant oils such as soybean (Glycine max) oil as a renewable resource for food and fuel is valuable. Successful breeding for higher oil levels in soybeans, however, usually results in reduced seed protein. A soybean fast neutron population was screened for oil content, and three high oil mutants with minimal reductions in protein levels were found. Three backcross F2 populations derived from these mutants exhibited segregation for seed oil content. DNA was pooled from the high-oil and normal-oil plants within each population and assessed by comparative genomic hybridization. A deletion encompassing 20 gene models on chromosome 14 was found to co-segregate with the high-oil trait in two of the three populations. Eighteen genes in the deleted region have known functions that appear unrelated to oil biosynthesis and accumulation pathways, while one of the unknown genes (Glyma.14G101900) may contribute to the regulation of lipid droplet formation. This high-oil trait can facilitate the breeding of high-oil soybeans without protein reduction, resulting in higher meal protein levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R. Serson
- Department of Biology, Penn State University, Lehigh Valley, Center Valley, PA 18034, USA
| | | | - Robert M. Stupar
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA; (R.M.S.); (A.O.S.)
| | - Adrian O. Stec
- Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA; (R.M.S.); (A.O.S.)
| | - Paul R. Armstrong
- United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Manhattan, KS 66502, USA
| | - David Hildebrand
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40546, USA;
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Yuan W, Pigliucci M, Richards CL. Rapid phenotypic differentiation in the iconic Japanese knotweed s.l. invading novel habitats. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14640. [PMID: 38918411 PMCID: PMC11199593 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64109-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms that underlie plant invasions is critical for management and conservation of biodiversity. At the same time, invasive species also provide a unique opportunity to study rapid adaptation to complex environmental conditions. Using four replicate reciprocal transplant experiments across three habitats, we described patterns of phenotypic response and assessed the degree of local adaptation in knotweed populations. We found plants from beach habitats were generally smaller than plants from marsh and roadside habitats when grown in their home habitat. In the marsh habitat, marsh plants were generally larger than beach plants, but not different from roadside plants. There were no differences among plants grown in the roadside habitat. We found mixed evidence for local adaptation: plants from the marsh habitat had greater biomass in their "home" sites, while plants from beaches and roadsides had greater survival in their "home" sites compared to other plants. In sum, we found phenotypic differentiation and some support for the hypothesis of rapid local adaptation of plants from beach, marsh and roadside habitats. Identifying whether these patterns of differentiation result from genetic or heritable non-genetic mechanisms will require further work.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yuan
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Massimo Pigliucci
- Department of Philosophy, City College of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Christina L Richards
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
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Williams K, Subramani M, Lofton LW, Penney M, Todd A, Ozbay G. Tools and Techniques to Accelerate Crop Breeding. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:1520. [PMID: 38891328 PMCID: PMC11174677 DOI: 10.3390/plants13111520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
As climate changes and a growing global population continue to escalate the need for greater production capabilities of food crops, technological advances in agricultural and crop research will remain a necessity. While great advances in crop improvement over the past century have contributed to massive increases in yield, classic breeding schemes lack the rate of genetic gain needed to meet future demands. In the past decade, new breeding techniques and tools have been developed to aid in crop improvement. One such advancement is the use of speed breeding. Speed breeding is known as the application of methods that significantly reduce the time between crop generations, thereby streamlining breeding and research efforts. These rapid-generation advancement tactics help to accelerate the pace of crop improvement efforts to sustain food security and meet the food, feed, and fiber demands of the world's growing population. Speed breeding may be achieved through a variety of techniques, including environmental optimization, genomic selection, CRISPR-Cas9 technology, and epigenomic tools. This review aims to discuss these prominent advances in crop breeding technologies and techniques that have the potential to greatly improve plant breeders' ability to rapidly produce vital cultivars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal Williams
- Molecular Genetics and Epigenomics Laboratory, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA;
| | - Mayavan Subramani
- Molecular Genetics and Epigenomics Laboratory, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA;
| | - Lily W. Lofton
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA;
- Toxicology & Mycotoxin Research Unit, US National Poultry Research Center, USDA-ARS, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Miranda Penney
- Plant Breeding and Genetics Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA;
| | - Antonette Todd
- Molecular Genetics and Epigenomics Laboratory, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA;
| | - Gulnihal Ozbay
- One Health Laboratory, Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, College of Agriculture, Science, and Technology, Delaware State University, Dover, DE 19901, USA
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de la Mata R, Mollá-Morales A, Méndez-Vigo B, Torres-Pérez R, Oliveros JC, Gómez R, Marcer A, Castilla AR, Nordborg M, Alonso-Blanco C, Picó FX. Variation and plasticity in life-history traits and fitness of wild Arabidopsis thaliana populations are not related to their genotypic and ecological diversity. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:56. [PMID: 38702598 PMCID: PMC11067129 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02246-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite its implications for population dynamics and evolution, the relationship between genetic and phenotypic variation in wild populations remains unclear. Here, we estimated variation and plasticity in life-history traits and fitness of the annual plant Arabidopsis thaliana in two common garden experiments that differed in environmental conditions. We used up to 306 maternal inbred lines from six Iberian populations characterized by low and high genotypic (based on whole-genome sequences) and ecological (vegetation type) diversity. RESULTS Low and high genotypic and ecological diversity was found in edge and core Iberian environments, respectively. Given that selection is expected to be stronger in edge environments and that ecological diversity may enhance both phenotypic variation and plasticity, we expected genotypic diversity to be positively associated with phenotypic variation and plasticity. However, maternal lines, irrespective of the genotypic and ecological diversity of their population of origin, exhibited a substantial amount of phenotypic variation and plasticity for all traits. Furthermore, all populations harbored maternal lines with canalization (robustness) or sensitivity in response to harsher environmental conditions in one of the two experiments. CONCLUSIONS Overall, we conclude that the environmental attributes of each population probably determine their genotypic diversity, but all populations maintain substantial phenotypic variation and plasticity for all traits, which represents an asset to endure in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raul de la Mata
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, 41092, Spain
- Faculty of Forestry, Institute of Dehesa Research (INDEHESA), Universidad de Extremadura, 10600, Plasencia, Spain
| | | | - Belén Méndez-Vigo
- Departamento de Genética Molecular de Plantas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Torres-Pérez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular de Plantas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Oliveros
- Departamento de Genética Molecular de Plantas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocío Gómez
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, 41092, Spain
| | - Arnald Marcer
- CREAF, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès), 08193, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Antonio R Castilla
- Department of Plant Biology, Ecology, and Evolution, College of Arts and Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, 74078-3031, USA
| | - Magnus Nordborg
- Gregor Mendel Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Carlos Alonso-Blanco
- Departamento de Genética Molecular de Plantas, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - F Xavier Picó
- Departamento de Biología Evolutiva, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Sevilla, 41092, Spain.
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Usai G, Fambrini M, Pugliesi C, Simoni S. Exploring the patterns of evolution: Core thoughts and focus on the saltational model. Biosystems 2024; 238:105181. [PMID: 38479653 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105181] [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: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The Modern Synthesis, a pillar in biological thought, united Darwin's species origin concepts with Mendel's laws of character heredity, providing a comprehensive understanding of evolution within species. Highlighting phenotypic variation and natural selection, it elucidated the environment's role as a selective force, shaping populations over time. This framework integrated additional mechanisms, including genetic drift, random mutations, and gene flow, predicting their cumulative effects on microevolution and the emergence of new species. Beyond the Modern Synthesis, the Extended Evolutionary Synthesis expands perspectives by recognizing the role of developmental plasticity, non-genetic inheritance, and epigenetics. We suggest that these aspects coexist in the plant evolutionary process; in this context, we focus on the saltational model, emphasizing how saltation events, such as dichotomous saltation, chromosomal mutations, epigenetic phenomena, and polyploidy, contribute to rapid evolutionary changes. The saltational model proposes that certain evolutionary changes, such as the rise of new species, may result suddenly from single macromutations rather than from gradual changes in DNA sequences and allele frequencies within a species over time. These events, observed in domesticated and wild higher plants, provide well-defined mechanistic bases, revealing their profound impact on plant diversity and rapid evolutionary events. Notably, next-generation sequencing exposes the likely crucial role of allopolyploidy and autopolyploidy (saltational events) in generating new plant species, each characterized by distinct chromosomal complements. In conclusion, through this review, we offer a thorough exploration of the ongoing dissertation on the saltational model, elucidating its implications for our understanding of plant evolutionary processes and paving the way for continued research in this intriguing field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Usai
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Fambrini
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Claudio Pugliesi
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Samuel Simoni
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (DAFE), University of Pisa, Via del Borghetto 80, 56124, Pisa, Italy
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Vu GTH, Cao HX, Hofmann M, Steiner W, Gailing O. Uncovering epigenetic and transcriptional regulation of growth in Douglas-fir: identification of differential methylation regions in mega-sized introns. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024; 22:863-875. [PMID: 37984804 PMCID: PMC10955500 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14229] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Tree growth performance can be partly explained by genetics, while a large proportion of growth variation is thought to be controlled by environmental factors. However, to what extent DNA methylation, a stable epigenetic modification, contributes to phenotypic plasticity in the growth performance of long-lived trees remains unclear. In this study, a comparative analysis of targeted DNA genotyping, DNA methylation and mRNAseq profiling for needles of 44-year-old Douglas-fir trees (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) having contrasting growth characteristics was performed. In total, we identified 195 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 115 differentially methylated loci (DML) that are associated with genes involved in fitness-related processes such as growth, stress management, plant development and energy resources. Interestingly, all four intronic DML were identified in mega-sized (between 100 and 180 kbp in length) and highly expressed genes, suggesting specialized regulation mechanisms of these long intron genes in gymnosperms. DNA repetitive sequences mainly comprising long-terminal repeats of retroelements are involved in growth-associated DNA methylation regulation (both hyper- and hypomethylation) of 99 DML (86.1% of total DML). Furthermore, nearly 14% of the DML was not tagged by single nucleotide polymorphisms, suggesting a unique contribution of the epigenetic variation in tree growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giang Thi Ha Vu
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree BreedingUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed)University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Hieu Xuan Cao
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree BreedingUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed)University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
| | - Martin Hofmann
- Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche VersuchsanstaltAbteilung WaldgenressourcenHann. MündenGermany
| | - Wilfried Steiner
- Nordwestdeutsche Forstliche VersuchsanstaltAbteilung WaldgenressourcenHann. MündenGermany
| | - Oliver Gailing
- Forest Genetics and Forest Tree BreedingUniversity of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Center for Integrated Breeding Research (CiBreed)University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
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Abdulraheem MI, Xiong Y, Moshood AY, Cadenas-Pliego G, Zhang H, Hu J. Mechanisms of Plant Epigenetic Regulation in Response to Plant Stress: Recent Discoveries and Implications. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 13:163. [PMID: 38256717 PMCID: PMC10820249 DOI: 10.3390/plants13020163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Plant stress is a significant challenge that affects the development, growth, and productivity of plants and causes an adverse environmental condition that disrupts normal physiological processes and hampers plant survival. Epigenetic regulation is a crucial mechanism for plants to respond and adapt to stress. Several studies have investigated the role of DNA methylation (DM), non-coding RNAs, and histone modifications in plant stress responses. However, there are various limitations or challenges in translating the research findings into practical applications. Hence, this review delves into the recent recovery, implications, and applications of epigenetic regulation in response to plant stress. To better understand plant epigenetic regulation under stress, we reviewed recent studies published in the last 5-10 years that made significant contributions, and we analyzed the novel techniques and technologies that have advanced the field, such as next-generation sequencing and genome-wide profiling of epigenetic modifications. We emphasized the breakthrough findings that have uncovered specific genes or pathways and the potential implications of understanding plant epigenetic regulation in response to stress for agriculture, crop improvement, and environmental sustainability. Finally, we concluded that plant epigenetic regulation in response to stress holds immense significance in agriculture, and understanding its mechanisms in stress tolerance can revolutionize crop breeding and genetic engineering strategies, leading to the evolution of stress-tolerant crops and ensuring sustainable food production in the face of climate change and other environmental challenges. Future research in this field will continue to unveil the intricacies of epigenetic regulation and its potential applications in crop improvement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mukhtar Iderawumi Abdulraheem
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China or (M.I.A.); (Y.X.); (A.Y.M.); (H.Z.)
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Laser Technology in Agriculture Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Yani Xiong
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China or (M.I.A.); (Y.X.); (A.Y.M.); (H.Z.)
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Laser Technology in Agriculture Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Abiodun Yusuff Moshood
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China or (M.I.A.); (Y.X.); (A.Y.M.); (H.Z.)
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Laser Technology in Agriculture Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
| | - Gregorio Cadenas-Pliego
- Centro de Investigación en Química Aplicada, Blvd. Enrique Reyna 140, Saltillo 25294, Mexico;
| | - Hao Zhang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China or (M.I.A.); (Y.X.); (A.Y.M.); (H.Z.)
| | - Jiandong Hu
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China or (M.I.A.); (Y.X.); (A.Y.M.); (H.Z.)
- Henan International Joint Laboratory of Laser Technology in Agriculture Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
- State Key Laboratory of Wheat and Maize Crop Science, Zhengzhou 450002, China
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Colicchio JM, Amstutz CL, Garcia N, Prabhu KN, Cairns TM, Akman M, Gottilla T, Gollery T, Stricklin SL, Bayer TS. A tool for rapid, automated characterization of population epigenomics in plants. Sci Rep 2023; 13:12915. [PMID: 37591855 PMCID: PMC10435466 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38356-7] [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: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic variation in plant populations is an important factor in determining phenotype and adaptation to the environment. However, while advances have been made in the molecular and computational methods to analyze the methylation status of a given sample of DNA, tools to profile and compare the methylomes of multiple individual plants or groups of plants at high resolution and low cost are lacking. Here, we describe a computational approach and R package (sounDMR) that leverages the benefits of long read nanopore sequencing to enable robust identification of differential methylation from complex experimental designs, as well as assess the variability within treatment groups and identify individual plants of interest. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by profiling a population of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to a demethylating agent and identify genomic regions of high epigenetic variability between individuals. Given the low cost of nanopore sequencing devices and the ease of sample preparation, these results show that high resolution epigenetic profiling of plant populations can be made more broadly accessible in plant breeding and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Melis Akman
- Sound Agriculture Company, Emeryville, CA, USA
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12
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Lin X, Tirichine L, Zhang X. The dynamic duo: how DNA methylation and gene transcription help diatoms thrive in modern oceans. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:3879-3882. [PMID: 37536061 PMCID: PMC10400112 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
This article comments on:
Wan J, Zhou Y, Beardall J, Raven JA, Lin J, Huang J, Lu Y, Liang S, Ye M, Xiao M, Zhao J, Dai X, Xia J, Jin P. 2023. DNA methylation and gene transcription act cooperatively in driving the adaptation of a marine diatom to global change. Journal of Experimental Botany74, 4259–4276.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
| | - Leila Tirichine
- Nantes Université, CNRS, US2B, UMR 6286, F-44000 Nantes, France
| | - Xu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361102, PR China
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13
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Auge G, Hankofer V, Groth M, Antoniou-Kourounioti R, Ratikainen I, Lampei C. Plant environmental memory: implications, mechanisms and opportunities for plant scientists and beyond. AOB PLANTS 2023; 15:plad032. [PMID: 37415723 PMCID: PMC10321398 DOI: 10.1093/aobpla/plad032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
Plants are extremely plastic organisms. They continuously receive and integrate environmental information and adjust their growth and development to favour fitness and survival. When this integration of information affects subsequent life stages or the development of subsequent generations, it can be considered an environmental memory. Thus, plant memory is a relevant mechanism by which plants respond adaptively to different environments. If the cost of maintaining the response is offset by its benefits, it may influence evolutionary trajectories. As such, plant memory has a sophisticated underlying molecular mechanism with multiple components and layers. Nonetheless, when mathematical modelling is combined with knowledge of ecological, physiological, and developmental effects as well as molecular mechanisms as a tool for understanding plant memory, the combined potential becomes unfathomable for the management of plant communities in natural and agricultural ecosystems. In this review, we summarize recent advances in the understanding of plant memory, discuss the ecological requirements for its evolution, outline the multilayered molecular network and mechanisms required for accurate and fail-proof plant responses to variable environments, point out the direct involvement of the plant metabolism and discuss the tremendous potential of various types of models to further our understanding of the plant's environmental memory. Throughout, we emphasize the use of plant memory as a tool to unlock the secrets of the natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentin Hankofer
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Munich, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Martin Groth
- Institute of Functional Epigenetics, Helmholtz Munich, Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, 85764 Oberschleißheim, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Rea Antoniou-Kourounioti
- School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Sir James Black Building, University Ave, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Irja Ratikainen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christian Lampei
- Department of Biology (FB17), Plant Ecology and Geobotany Group, University of Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch-Straße 8, 35032 Marburg, Germany
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14
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Ibañez VN, van Antro M, Peña-Ponton C, Milanovic-Ivanovic S, Wagemaker CAM, Gawehns F, Verhoeven KJF. Environmental and genealogical effects on DNA methylation in a widespread apomictic dandelion lineage. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:663-674. [PMID: 36810811 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation in plant genomes occurs in different sequences and genomic contexts that have very different properties. DNA methylation that occurs in CG (mCG) sequence context shows transgenerational stability and high epimutation rate, and can thus provide genealogical information at short time scales. However, due to meta-stability and because mCG variants may arise due to other factors than epimutation, such as environmental stress exposure, it is not clear how well mCG captures genealogical information at micro-evolutionary time scales. Here, we analysed DNA methylation variation between accessions from a geographically widespread, apomictic common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) lineage when grown experimentally under different light conditions. Using a reduced-representation bisulphite sequencing approach, we show that the light treatment induced differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in all sequence contexts, with a bias towards transposable elements. Accession differences were associated mainly with DMCs in CG context. Hierarchical clustering of samples based on total mCG profiles revealed a perfect clustering of samples by accession identity, irrespective of light conditions. Using microsatellite information as a benchmark of genetic divergence within the clonal lineage, we show that genetic divergence between accessions correlates strongly with overall mCG profiles. However, our results suggest that environmental effects that do occur in CG context may produce a heritable signal that partly dilutes the genealogical signal. Our study shows that methylation information in plants can be used to reconstruct micro-evolutionary genealogy, providing a useful tool in systems that lack genetic variation such as clonal and vegetatively propagated plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Noé Ibañez
- Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Université Evry, Université Paris Diderot, Gif sur Yvette, France.,Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Morgane van Antro
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cristian Peña-Ponton
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Slavica Milanovic-Ivanovic
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | | | - Fleur Gawehns
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen J F Verhoeven
- Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
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15
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Silliman K, Spencer LH, White SJ, Roberts SB. Epigenetic and Genetic Population Structure is Coupled in a Marine Invertebrate. Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad013. [PMID: 36740242 PMCID: PMC10468963 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Delineating the relative influence of genotype and the environment on DNA methylation is critical for characterizing the spectrum of organism fitness as driven by adaptation and phenotypic plasticity. In this study, we integrated genomic and DNA methylation data for two distinct Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) populations while controlling for within-generation environmental influences. In addition to providing the first characterization of genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the oyster genus Ostrea, we identified 3,963 differentially methylated loci between populations. Our results show a clear coupling between genetic and epigenetic patterns of variation, with 27% of variation in interindividual methylation differences explained by genotype. Underlying this association are both direct genetic changes in CpGs (CpG-SNPs) and genetic variation with indirect influence on methylation (mQTLs). When comparing measures of genetic and epigenetic population divergence at specific genomic regions this relationship surprisingly breaks down, which has implications for the methods commonly used to study epigenetic and genetic coupling in marine invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Silliman
- South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research
Institute, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Laura H Spencer
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of
Washington, Seattle
| | - Samuel J White
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of
Washington, Seattle
| | - Steven B Roberts
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of
Washington, Seattle
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16
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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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17
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Liu X, Weng X, Edwards J, Wang L, Zhang C, Qiu J, Li Z. Editorial: Adaptive evolution of grasses. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1105320. [PMID: 36794226 PMCID: PMC9923873 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1105320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Xixi Liu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Weng
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Joseph Edwards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
| | - Lingqiang Wang
- State Key Laborary for Conservation & Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Crop Stress Biology for Arid Areas, College of Agronomy, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Jiehua Qiu
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyong Li
- State Key Lab of Rice Biology, China National Rice Research Institute, Hangzhou, China
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18
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Shimizu-Inatsugi R, Morishima A, Mourato B, Shimizu KK, Sato Y. Phenotypic variation of a new synthetic allotetraploid Arabidopsis kamchatica enhanced in natural environment. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 13:1058522. [PMID: 36684772 PMCID: PMC9846130 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.1058522] [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: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The phenotypic variation of vegetative organs and reproductive organs of newly synthesized and natural Arabidopsis kamchatica genotypes was investigated in both a controlled environment and a natural environment in an experimental garden. When we compared the variation of their leaf shape as a vegetative organ, the synthetic A. kamchatica individuals grown in the garden showed larger variation compared with the individuals incubated in a growth chamber, suggesting enhanced phenotypic variation in a natural fluctuating environment. In contrast, the natural A. kamchatica genotypes did not show significant change in variation by growth condition. The phenotypic variation of floral organs by growth condition was much smaller in both synthetic and natural A. kamchatica genotypes, and the difference in variation width between the growth chamber and the garden was not significant in each genotype as well as among genotypes. The higher phenotypic variation in synthetic leaf may imply flexible transcriptomic regulation of a newly synthesized polyploid compared with a natural polyploid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rie Shimizu-Inatsugi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Aki Morishima
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Beatriz Mourato
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Kentaro K. Shimizu
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Sato
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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19
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Galanti D, Ramos-Cruz D, Nunn A, Rodríguez-Arévalo I, Scheepens JF, Becker C, Bossdorf O. Genetic and environmental drivers of large-scale epigenetic variation in Thlaspi arvense. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010452. [PMID: 36223399 PMCID: PMC9591053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural plant populations often harbour substantial heritable variation in DNA methylation. However, a thorough understanding of the genetic and environmental drivers of this epigenetic variation requires large-scale and high-resolution data, which currently exist only for a few model species. Here, we studied 207 lines of the annual weed Thlaspi arvense (field pennycress), collected across a large latitudinal gradient in Europe and propagated in a common environment. By screening for variation in DNA sequence and DNA methylation using whole-genome (bisulfite) sequencing, we found significant epigenetic population structure across Europe. Average levels of DNA methylation were strongly context-dependent, with highest DNA methylation in CG context, particularly in transposable elements and in intergenic regions. Residual DNA methylation variation within all contexts was associated with genetic variants, which often co-localized with annotated methylation machinery genes but also with new candidates. Variation in DNA methylation was also significantly associated with climate of origin, with methylation levels being lower in colder regions and in more variable climates. Finally, we used variance decomposition to assess genetic versus environmental associations with differentially methylated regions (DMRs). We found that while genetic variation was generally the strongest predictor of DMRs, the strength of environmental associations increased from CG to CHG and CHH, with climate-of-origin as the strongest predictor in about one third of the CHH DMRs. In summary, our data show that natural epigenetic variation in Thlaspi arvense is significantly associated with both DNA sequence and environment of origin, and that the relative importance of the two factors strongly depends on the sequence context of DNA methylation. T. arvense is an emerging biofuel and winter cover crop; our results may hence be relevant for breeding efforts and agricultural practices in the context of rapidly changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Galanti
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Ramos-Cruz
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Adam Nunn
- ecSeq Bioinformatics GmbH, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Computer Science, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Isaac Rodríguez-Arévalo
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - J. F. Scheepens
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute for Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Claude Becker
- Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria
- LMU Biocenter, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilians University Munich, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Oliver Bossdorf
- Plant Evolutionary Ecology, Institute of Evolution and Ecology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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20
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Tonosaki K, Fujimoto R, Dennis ES, Raboy V, Osabe K. Will epigenetics be a key player in crop breeding? FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:958350. [PMID: 36247549 PMCID: PMC9562705 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.958350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
If food and feed production are to keep up with world demand in the face of climate change, continued progress in understanding and utilizing both genetic and epigenetic sources of crop variation is necessary. Progress in plant breeding has traditionally been thought to be due to selection for spontaneous DNA sequence mutations that impart desirable phenotypes. These spontaneous mutations can expand phenotypic diversity, from which breeders can select agronomically useful traits. However, it has become clear that phenotypic diversity can be generated even when the genome sequence is unaltered. Epigenetic gene regulation is a mechanism by which genome expression is regulated without altering the DNA sequence. With the development of high throughput DNA sequencers, it has become possible to analyze the epigenetic state of the whole genome, which is termed the epigenome. These techniques enable us to identify spontaneous epigenetic mutations (epimutations) with high throughput and identify the epimutations that lead to increased phenotypic diversity. These epimutations can create new phenotypes and the causative epimutations can be inherited over generations. There is evidence of selected agronomic traits being conditioned by heritable epimutations, and breeders may have historically selected for epiallele-conditioned agronomic traits. These results imply that not only DNA sequence diversity, but the diversity of epigenetic states can contribute to increased phenotypic diversity. However, since the modes of induction and transmission of epialleles and their stability differ from that of genetic alleles, the importance of inheritance as classically defined also differs. For example, there may be a difference between the types of epigenetic inheritance important to crop breeding and crop production. The former may depend more on longer-term inheritance whereas the latter may simply take advantage of shorter-term phenomena. With the advances in our understanding of epigenetics, epigenetics may bring new perspectives for crop improvement, such as the use of epigenetic variation or epigenome editing in breeding. In this review, we will introduce the role of epigenetic variation in plant breeding, largely focusing on DNA methylation, and conclude by asking to what extent new knowledge of epigenetics in crop breeding has led to documented cases of its successful use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Tonosaki
- Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Ryo Fujimoto
- Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan
| | - Elizabeth S. Dennis
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Agriculture and Food, Canberra, ACT, Australia
- School of Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Victor Raboy
- Independent Researcher Portland, Portland, OR, United States
| | - Kenji Osabe
- Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research (SANKEN), Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
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21
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Planidin NP, de Carvalho CF, Feder JL, Gompert Z, Nosil P. Epigenetics and reproductive isolation: a commentary on Westram et al., 2022. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:1188-1194. [PMID: 36063158 PMCID: PMC9541925 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeffrey L Feder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, USA
| | | | - Patrik Nosil
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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22
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Martínez-Fortún J, Phillips DW, Jones HD. Natural and artificial sources of genetic variation used in crop breeding: A baseline comparator for genome editing. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:937853. [PMID: 36072906 PMCID: PMC9441798 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.937853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional breeding has successfully selected beneficial traits for food, feed, and fibre crops over the last several thousand years. The last century has seen significant technological advancements particularly in marker assisted selection and the generation of induced genetic variation, including over the last few decades, through mutation breeding, genetic modification, and genome editing. While regulatory frameworks for traditional varietal development and for genetic modification with transgenes are broadly established, those for genome editing are lacking or are still evolving in many regions. In particular, the lack of "foreign" recombinant DNA in genome edited plants and that the resulting SNPs or INDELs are indistinguishable from those seen in traditional breeding has challenged development of new legislation. Where products of genome editing and other novel breeding technologies possess no transgenes and could have been generated via traditional methods, we argue that it is logical and proportionate to apply equivalent legislative oversight that already exists for traditional breeding and novel foods. This review analyses the types and the scale of spontaneous and induced genetic variation that can be selected during traditional plant breeding activities. It provides a base line from which to judge whether genetic changes brought about by techniques of genome editing or other reverse genetic methods are indeed comparable to those routinely found using traditional methods of plant breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Huw D. Jones
- IBERS, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, United Kingdom
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23
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De Kort H, Toivainen T, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Andrés J, Hytönen TP, Honnay O. Signatures of polygenic adaptation align with genome-wide methylation patterns in wild strawberry plants. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 235:1501-1514. [PMID: 35575945 DOI: 10.1111/nph.18225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance can drive adaptive evolution independently of DNA sequence variation. However, to what extent epigenetic variation represents an autonomous evolutionary force remains largely elusive. Through gene ontology and comparative analyses of genomic and epigenomic variation of wild strawberry plants raised in distinct drought settings, we characterised genome-wide covariation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs). Covariation between SNPs and DMCs was independent of genomic proximity, but instead associated with fitness-related processes such as stress responses, genome regulation and reproduction. We expected this functional SNP-DMC covariation to be driven by adaptive evolution canalising SNP and DMC variation, but instead observed significantly lower covariation with DMCs for adaptive rather than for neutral SNPs. Drought-induced DMCs frequently co-varied with tens of SNPs, suggesting high genomic redundancy as a broad potential basis for polygenic adaptation of gene expression. Our findings suggest that stress-responsive DMCs initially co-vary with many SNPs under increased environmental stress, and that natural selection acting upon several of these SNPs subsequently reduces standing covariation with stress-responsive DMCs. Our study supports DNA methylation profiles that represent complex quantitative traits rather than autonomous evolutionary forces. We provide a conceptual framework for polygenic regulation and adaptation shaping genome-wide methylation patterns in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanne De Kort
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Tuomas Toivainen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Javier Andrés
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Timo P Hytönen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 7, 00790, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olivier Honnay
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, University of Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 31-2435, BE-3001, Leuven, Belgium
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24
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Verma P, Singh A, Purru S, Bhat KV, Lakhanpaul S. Comparative DNA Methylome of Phytoplasma Associated Retrograde Metamorphosis in Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.). BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11070954. [PMID: 36101335 PMCID: PMC9311523 DOI: 10.3390/biology11070954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Phytoplasma-associated diseases such as phyllody and little leaf are critical threats to sesame cultivation worldwide. The mechanism of the dramatic conversion of flowers to leafy structures leading to yield losses and the drastic reduction in leaf size due to Phytoplasma infection remains yet to be identified. Cytosine methylation profiles of healthy and infected sesame plants studied using Whole Genome Bisulfite Sequencing (WGBS) and Quantitative analysis of DNA methylation with the real-time PCR (qAMP) technique revealed altered DNA methylation patterns upon infection. Phyllody was associated with global cytosine hypomethylation, though predominantly in the CHH (where H = A, T or C) context. Interestingly, comparable cytosine methylation levels were observed between healthy and little leaf-affected plant samples in CG, CHG and CHH contexts. Among the different genomic fractions, the highest number of differentially methylated Cytosines was found in the intergenic regions, followed by promoter, exonic and intronic regions in decreasing order. Further, most of the differentially methylated genes were hypomethylated and were mainly associated with development and defense-related processes. Loci for STOREKEEPER protein-like, a DNA-binding protein and PP2-B15, an F-Box protein, responsible for plugging sieve plates to maintain turgor pressure within the sieve tubes were found to be hypomethylated by WGBS, which was confirmed by methylation-dependent restriction digestion and qPCR. Likewise, serine/threonine-protein phosphatase-7 homolog, a positive regulator of cryptochrome signaling involved in hypocotyl and cotyledon growth and probable O-methyltransferase 3 locus were determined to be hypermethylated. Phytoplasma infection-associated global differential methylation as well as the defense and development-related loci reported here for the first time significantly elucidate the mechanism of phytoplasma-associated disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratima Verma
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India;
| | - Amrita Singh
- Department of Botany, Gargi College, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110049, India;
| | - Supriya Purru
- ICAR-NAARM, Rajender Nagar, Hyderabad 500030, India;
| | | | - Suman Lakhanpaul
- Department of Botany, University of Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-9868375756
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25
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Campoy JG, Sobral M, Carro B, Lema M, Barreiro R, Retuerto R. Epigenetic and Phenotypic Responses to Experimental Climate Change of Native and Invasive Carpobrotus edulis. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:888391. [PMID: 35783928 PMCID: PMC9247612 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.888391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Despite the recent discoveries on how DNA methylation could help plants to adapt to changing environments, the relationship between epigenetics and climate change or invasion in new areas is still poorly known. Here, we investigated, through a field experiment, how the new expected climate scenarios for Southern Europe, i.e., increased temperature and decreased rainfall, might affect global DNA methylation in relation to phenotypic variation in individuals of clonal plant, Carpobrotus edulis, from its native (Southern African) and invaded (northwestern Iberian Peninsula) area. Our results showed that changes in temperature and rainfall induced phenotypic but not global DNA methylation differences among plants, and the climatic effects were similar for plants coming from the native or invaded areas. The individuals from the Iberian Peninsula showed higher levels of global methylation than their native counterparts from South Africa. We also observed differences between natives and invasive phenotypes in traits related to the pattern of biomass partitioning and to the strategies for water uptake and use and found an epigenetic contribution to phenotypic changes in some leaf traits, especially on the nitrogen isotopic composition. We conclude that the increased temperature and decreased rainfall projected for Southern Europe during the course of the twenty-first century may foster phenotypic changes in C. edulis, possibly endowing this species with a higher ability to successful cope the rapid environmental shifts. The epigenetic and phenotypic divergence that we observed between native and invasive plants suggests an intraspecific functional variation during the process of invasion. This result could indicate that phenotypic plasticity and global DNA methylation are related to the colonization of new habitats. Our findings reinforce the importance of epigenetic plasticity on rapid adaptation of invasive clonal plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefina G. Campoy
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Mar Sobral
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Belén Carro
- Biocost, Facultad de Ciencias and Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Margarita Lema
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Rodolfo Barreiro
- Biocost, Facultad de Ciencias and Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Avanzadas (CICA), Universidad de A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Rubén Retuerto
- Departamento de Bioloxía Funcional, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Drought-exposure history increases complementarity between plant species in response to a subsequent drought. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3217. [PMID: 35680926 PMCID: PMC9184649 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30954-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing threats from extreme climatic events and biodiversity loss have raised concerns about their interactive consequences for ecosystem functioning. Evidence suggests biodiversity can buffer ecosystem functioning during such climatic events. However, whether exposure to extreme climatic events will strengthen the biodiversity-dependent buffering effects for future generations remains elusive. We assess such transgenerational effects by exposing experimental grassland communities to eight recurrent summer droughts versus ambient conditions in the field. Seed offspring of 12 species are then subjected to a subsequent drought event in the glasshouse, grown individually, in monocultures or in 2-species mixtures. Comparing productivity between mixtures and monocultures, drought-selected plants show greater between-species complementarity than ambient-selected plants when recovering from the subsequent drought, causing stronger biodiversity effects on productivity and better recovery of drought-selected mixtures after the drought. These findings suggest exposure to recurrent climatic events can improve ecosystem responses to future events through transgenerational reinforcement of species complementarity. Using experimental communities of grassland species, this study shows that drought-exposure history can accelerate recovery from subsequent drought through increased niche complementarity between species. This transgenerational effect may enhance the sustainability of biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in a future with more frequent droughts.
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27
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Gao Y, Chen Y, Li S, Huang X, Hu J, Bock DG, MacIsaac HJ, Zhan A. Complementary genomic and epigenomic adaptation to environmental heterogeneity. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3598-3612. [PMID: 35560847 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
While adaptation is commonly thought to result from selection on DNA sequence-based variation, recent studies have highlighted an analogous epigenetic component as well. However, the relative roles of these mechanisms in facilitating population persistence under environmental heterogeneity remain unclear. To address the underlying genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and their relationship during environmental adaptation, we screened the genomes and epigenomes of nine global populations of a predominately sessile marine invasive tunicate, Botryllus schlosseri, using reduced-representation methods. We detected clear population differentiation at the genetic and epigenetic levels. Patterns of genetic and epigenetic structure were significantly influenced by local environmental variables. Among these variables, minimum annual sea surface temperature was identified as the top explanatory variable for both genetic and epigenetic variation. However, patterns of population structure driven by genetic and epigenetic variation were somewhat distinct, suggesting possible autonomy of epigenetic variation. We found both shared and specific genes and biological pathways among genetic and epigenetic loci associated with environmental factors, consistent with complementary and independent contributions of genetic and epigenetic variation to environmental adaptation in this system. Collectively, these mechanisms may facilitate population persistence under environmental change and sustain successful invasions across novel environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangchun Gao
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Guangdong Public Laboratory of Wild Animal Conservation and Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Science, Guangzhou, 510260, China
| | - Yiyong Chen
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Shiguo Li
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuena Huang
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China
| | - Juntao Hu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Institute of Biodiversity Science, Center of Evolutionary Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200438, China
| | - Dan G Bock
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63130, USA
| | - Hugh J MacIsaac
- School of Ecology and Environmental Science, Yunnan University, Yunnan, 650091, China.,Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Aibin Zhan
- Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100085, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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28
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Mounger JM, van Riemsdijk I, Boquete MT, Wagemaker CAM, Fatma S, Robertson MH, Voors SA, Oberstaller J, Gawehns F, Hanley TC, Grosse I, Verhoeven KJF, Sotka EE, Gehring CA, Hughes AR, Lewis DB, Schmid MW, Richards CL. Genetic and Epigenetic Differentiation Across Intertidal Gradients in the Foundation Plant Spartina alterniflora. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.868826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological genomics approaches have informed us about the structure of genetic diversity in natural populations that might underlie patterns in trait variation. However, we still know surprisingly little about the mechanisms that permit organisms to adapt to variable environmental conditions. The salt marsh foundation plant Spartina alterniflora exhibits a dramatic range in phenotype that is associated with a pronounced intertidal environmental gradient across a narrow spatial scale. Both genetic and non-genetic molecular mechanisms might underlie this phenotypic variation. To investigate both, we used epigenotyping-by-sequencing (epiGBS) to evaluate the make-up of natural populations across the intertidal environmental gradient. Based on recent findings, we expected that both DNA sequence and DNA methylation diversity would be explained by source population and habitat within populations. However, we predicted that epigenetic variation might be more strongly associated with habitat since similar epigenetic modifications could be rapidly elicited across different genetic backgrounds by similar environmental conditions. Overall, with PERMANOVA we found that population of origin explained a significant amount of the genetic (8.6%) and epigenetic (3.2%) variance. In addition, we found that a small but significant amount of genetic and epigenetic variance (<1%) was explained by habitat within populations. The interaction of population and habitat explained an additional 2.9% of the genetic variance and 1.4% of the epigenetic variance. By examining genetic and epigenetic variation within the same fragments (variation in close-cis), we found that population explained epigenetic variation in 9.2% of 8,960 tested loci, even after accounting for differences in the DNA sequence of the fragment. Habitat alone explained very little (<0.1%) of the variation in these close-cis comparisons, but the interaction of population and habitat explained 2.1% of the epigenetic variation in these loci. Using multiple matrix regression with randomization (MMRR) we found that phenotypic differences in natural populations were correlated with epigenetic and environmental differences even when accounting for genetic differences. Our results support the contention that sequence variation explains most of the variation in DNA methylation, but we have provided evidence that DNA methylation distinctly contributes to plant responses in natural populations.
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Eckert S, Herden J, Stift M, Durka W, van Kleunen M, Joshi J. Traces of Genetic but Not Epigenetic Adaptation in the Invasive Goldenrod Solidago canadensis Despite the Absence of Population Structure. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.856453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological invasions may result from multiple introductions, which might compensate for reduced gene pools caused by bottleneck events, but could also dilute adaptive processes. A previous common-garden experiment showed heritable latitudinal clines in fitness-related traits in the invasive goldenrod Solidago canadensis in Central Europe. These latitudinal clines remained stable even in plants chemically treated with zebularine to reduce epigenetic variation. However, despite the heritability of traits investigated, genetic isolation-by-distance was non-significant. Utilizing the same specimens, we applied a molecular analysis of (epi)genetic differentiation with standard and methylation-sensitive (MSAP) AFLPs. We tested whether this variation was spatially structured among populations and whether zebularine had altered epigenetic variation. Additionally, we used genome scans to mine for putative outlier loci susceptible to selection processes in the invaded range. Despite the absence of isolation-by-distance, we found spatial genetic neighborhoods among populations and two AFLP clusters differentiating northern and southern Solidago populations. Genetic and epigenetic diversity were significantly correlated, but not linked to phenotypic variation. Hence, no spatial epigenetic patterns were detected along the latitudinal gradient sampled. Applying genome-scan approaches (BAYESCAN, BAYESCENV, RDA, and LFMM), we found 51 genetic and epigenetic loci putatively responding to selection. One of these genetic loci was significantly more frequent in populations at the northern range. Also, one epigenetic locus was more frequent in populations in the southern range, but this pattern was lost under zebularine treatment. Our results point to some genetic, but not epigenetic adaptation processes along a large-scale latitudinal gradient of S. canadensis in its invasive range.
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30
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Lin X, Zhou M, Yao J, Li QQ, Zhang YY. Phenotypic and Methylome Responses to Salt Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana Natural Accessions. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:841154. [PMID: 35310665 PMCID: PMC8931716 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.841154] [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: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Salt stress threatens plant growth, development and crop yields, and has become a critical global environmental issue. Increasing evidence has suggested that the epigenetic mechanism such as DNA methylation can mediate plant response to salt stress through transcriptional regulation and transposable element (TE) silencing. However, studies exploring genome-wide methylation dynamics under salt stress remain limited, in particular, for studies on multiple genotypes. Here, we adopted four natural accessions of the model species Arabidopsis thaliana and investigated the phenotypic and genome-wide methylation responses to salt stress through whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). We found that salt stress significantly changed plant phenotypes, including plant height, rosette diameter, fruit number, and aboveground biomass, and the change in biomass tended to depend on accessions. Methylation analysis revealed that genome-wide methylation patterns depended primarily on accessions, and salt stress caused significant methylation changes in ∼ 0.1% cytosines over the genomes. About 33.5% of these salt-induced differential methylated cytosines (DMCs) were located to transposable elements (TEs). These salt-induced DMCs were mainly hypermethylated and accession-specific. TEs annotated to have DMCs (DMC-TEs) across accessions were found mostly belonged to the superfamily of Gypsy, a type II transposon, indicating a convergent DMC dynamic on TEs across different genetic backgrounds. Moreover, 8.0% of salt-induced DMCs were located in gene bodies and their proximal regulatory regions. These DMCs were also accession-specific, and genes annotated to have DMCs (DMC-genes) appeared to be more accession-specific than DMC-TEs. Intriguingly, both accession-specific DMC-genes and DMC-genes shared by multiple accessions were enriched in similar functions, including methylation, gene silencing, chemical homeostasis, polysaccharide catabolic process, and pathways relating to shifts between vegetative growth and reproduction. These results indicate that, across different genetic backgrounds, methylation changes may have convergent functions in post-transcriptional, physiological, and phenotypic modulation under salt stress. These convergent methylation dynamics across accession may be autonomous from genetic variation or due to convergent genetic changes, which requires further exploration. Our study provides a more comprehensive picture of genome-wide methylation dynamics under salt stress, and highlights the importance of exploring stress response mechanisms from diverse genetic backgrounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohe Lin
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Ming Zhou
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Jing Yao
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Qingshun Q. Li
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
- Graduate College of Biomedical Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA, United States
| | - Yuan-Ye Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs are increasingly targeted in studies of natural populations. Here, I review some of the insights gained from this research, examine some of the methods currently in use and discuss some of the challenges that researchers working on natural populations are likely to face when probing epigenetic mechanisms. While studies supporting the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms in generating phenotypic variation in natural populations are amassing, many of these studies are currently correlative in nature. Thus, while empirical data point to widespread contributions of epigenetic mechanisms in generating phenotypic variation, there are still concerns as to whether epigenetic variation is instead ultimately controlled by genetic variation. Disentangling these two sources of variation will be a key to resolving the debate about the importance of epigenetic mechanisms, and studies on natural populations that partition the relative contribution of genetic and epigenetic factors to phenotypic variation can play an important role in this debate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arild Husby
- Evolutionary Biology, Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18D, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden.,Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics, Norwegian University for Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
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32
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Anastasiadi D, Venney CJ, Bernatchez L, Wellenreuther M. Epigenetic inheritance and reproductive mode in plants and animals. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:1124-1140. [PMID: 34489118 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic inheritance is another piece of the puzzle of nongenetic inheritance, although the prevalence, sources, persistence, and phenotypic consequences of heritable epigenetic marks across taxa remain unclear. We systematically reviewed over 500 studies from the past 5 years to identify trends in the frequency of epigenetic inheritance due to differences in reproductive mode and germline development. Genetic, intrinsic (e.g., disease), and extrinsic (e.g., environmental) factors were identified as sources of epigenetic inheritance, with impacts on phenotype and adaptation depending on environmental predictability. Our review shows that multigenerational persistence of epigenomic patterns is common in both plants and animals, but also highlights many knowledge gaps that remain to be filled. We provide a framework to guide future studies towards understanding the generational persistence and eco-evolutionary significance of epigenomic patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dafni Anastasiadi
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Nelson Research Centre, 293 Akersten St, Nelson 7010, New Zealand
| | - Clare J Venney
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative des Systèmes (IBIS), Département de Biologie, Université Laval, 1030 Avenue de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Louis Bernatchez
- Institut de Biologie Intégrative des Systèmes (IBIS), Département de Biologie, Université Laval, 1030 Avenue de la Médecine, G1V 0A6, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Maren Wellenreuther
- The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, Nelson Research Centre, 293 Akersten St, Nelson 7010, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, The University of Auckland, 3A Symonds St, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.
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33
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Layton KKS, Bradbury IR. Harnessing the power of multi-omics data for predicting climate change response. J Anim Ecol 2021; 91:1064-1072. [PMID: 34679193 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Predicting how species will respond to future climate change is of central importance in the midst of the global biodiversity crisis, and recent work has demonstrated the utility of population genomics for improving these predictions. Here, we suggest a broadening of the approach to include other types of genomic variants that play an important role in adaptation, like structural (e.g. copy number variants) and epigenetic variants (e.g. DNA methylation). These data could provide additional power for forecasting response, especially in weakly structured or panmictic species. Incorporating structural and epigenetic variation into estimates of climate change vulnerability, or maladaptation, may not only improve prediction power but also provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underpinning species' response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara K S Layton
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Ian R Bradbury
- Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Centre, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's, Canada
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34
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Bertić M, Schroeder H, Kersten B, Fladung M, Orgel F, Buegger F, Schnitzler JP, Ghirardo A. European oak chemical diversity - from ecotypes to herbivore resistance. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 232:818-834. [PMID: 34240433 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is increasing insect pressure and forcing plants to adapt. Although chemotypic differentiation and phenotypic plasticity in spatially separated tree populations are known for decades, understanding their importance in herbivory resistance across forests remains challenging. We studied four oak forest stands in Germany using nontarget metabolomics, elemental analysis, and chemometrics and mapped the leaf metabolome of herbivore-resistant (T-) and herbivore-susceptible (S-) European oaks (Quercus robur) to Tortrix viridana, an oak pest that causes severe forest defoliation. Among the detected metabolites, we identified reliable metabolic biomarkers to distinguish S- and T-oak trees. Chemotypic differentiation resulted in metabolic shifts of primary and secondary leaf metabolism. Across forests, T-oaks allocate resources towards constitutive chemical defense enriched of polyphenolic compounds, e.g. the flavonoids kaempferol, kaempferol and quercetin glucosides, while S-oaks towards growth-promoting substances such as carbohydrates and amino-acid derivatives. This extensive work across natural forests shows that oaks' resistance and susceptibility to herbivory are linked to growth-defense trade-offs of leaf metabolism. The discovery of biomarkers and the developed predictive model pave the way to understand Quercus robur's susceptibility to herbivore attack and to support forest management, contributing to the preservation of oak forests in Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Bertić
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Hilke Schroeder
- Thünen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Birgit Kersten
- Thünen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Matthias Fladung
- Thünen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Franziska Orgel
- Thünen-Institute of Forest Genetics, Sieker Landstrasse 2, 22927, Grosshansdorf, Germany
| | - Franz Buegger
- Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology (BIOP), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Jörg-Peter Schnitzler
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Andrea Ghirardo
- Research Unit Environmental Simulation (EUS), Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany
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35
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Herrera CM, Bazaga P, Pérez R, Alonso C. Lifetime genealogical divergence within plants leads to epigenetic mosaicism in the shrub Lavandula latifolia (Lamiaceae). THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2021; 231:2065-2076. [PMID: 33634863 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetic mosaicism is a possible source of within-plant phenotypic heterogeneity, yet its frequency and developmental origin remain unexplored. This study examines whether extant epigenetic heterogeneity within Lavandula latifolia (Lamiaceae) shrubs reflects recent epigenetic modifications experienced independently by different plant parts or, alternatively, it is the cumulative outcome of a steady lifetime process. Leaf samples from different architectural modules (branch tips) were collected from three L. latifolia plants and characterized epigenetically by global DNA cytosine methylation and methylation state of methylation-sensitive amplified fragment-length polymorphism (MS-AFLP) markers. Epigenetic characteristics of modules were then assembled with information on the branching history of plants. Methods borrowed from phylogenetic research were used to assess genealogical signal of extant epigenetic variation and reconstruct within-plant genealogical trajectory of epigenetic traits. Plants were epigenetically heterogeneous, as shown by differences among modules in global DNA methylation and variation in the methylation states of 6 to 8% of MS-AFLP markers. All epigenetic features exhibited significant genealogical signal within plants. Events of epigenetic divergence occurred throughout the lifespan of individuals and were subsequently propagated by branch divisions. Internal epigenetic diversification of L. latifolia individuals took place steadily during their development, a process which eventually led to persistent epigenetic mosaicism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos M Herrera
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, E-41092, Spain
| | - Pilar Bazaga
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, E-41092, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de La Cartuja, CSIC-US, Avda. Américo Vespucio 49, Sevilla, E-41092, Spain
| | - Conchita Alonso
- Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio 26, Sevilla, E-41092, Spain
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36
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Mounger J, Boquete MT, Schmid MW, Granado R, Robertson MH, Voors SA, Langanke KL, Alvarez M, Wagemaker CAM, Schrey AW, Fox GA, Lewis DB, Lira CF, Richards CL. Inheritance of DNA methylation differences in the mangrove Rhizophora mangle. Evol Dev 2021; 23:351-374. [PMID: 34382741 DOI: 10.1111/ede.12388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The capacity to respond to environmental challenges ultimately relies on phenotypic variation which manifests from complex interactions of genetic and nongenetic mechanisms through development. While we know something about genetic variation and structure of many species of conservation importance, we know very little about the nongenetic contributions to variation. Rhizophora mangle is a foundation species that occurs in coastal estuarine habitats throughout the neotropics where it provides critical ecosystem functions and is potentially threatened by anthropogenic environmental changes. Several studies have documented landscape-level patterns of genetic variation in this species, but we know virtually nothing about the inheritance of nongenetic variation. To assess one type of nongenetic variation, we examined the patterns of DNA sequence and DNA methylation in maternal plants and offspring from natural populations of R. mangle from the Gulf Coast of Florida. We used a reduced representation bisulfite sequencing approach (epi-genotyping by sequencing; epiGBS) to address the following questions: (a) What are the levels of genetic and epigenetic diversity in natural populations of R. mangle? (b) How are genetic and epigenetic variation structured within and among populations? (c) How faithfully is epigenetic variation inherited? We found low genetic diversity but high epigenetic diversity from natural populations of maternal plants in the field. In addition, a large portion (up to ~25%) of epigenetic differences among offspring grown in common garden was explained by maternal family. Therefore, epigenetic variation could be an important source of response to challenging environments in the genetically depauperate populations of this foundation species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeannie Mounger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - M Teresa Boquete
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Department of Evolutionary Ecology, CSIC, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Sevilla, Spain
| | | | - Renan Granado
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
| | - Marta H Robertson
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Sandy A Voors
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kristen L Langanke
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Mariano Alvarez
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Avalo, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Aaron W Schrey
- Department of Biology, Georgia Southern University, Armstrong Campus, Savannah, Georgia, USA
| | - Gordon A Fox
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - David B Lewis
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Catarina Fonseca Lira
- Diretoria de Pesquisas, Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro/RJ, Brazil
| | - Christina L Richards
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA.,Plant Evolutionary Ecology, University of Tübingen, Institute of Evolution & Ecology, Tübingen, Germany
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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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Abstract
Background Many traditional biological concepts continue to be debated by biologists, scientists and philosophers of science. The specific objective of this brief reflection is to offer an alternative vision to the definition of life taking as a starting point the traits common to all living beings. Results and Conclusions Thus, I define life as a process that takes place in highly organized organic structures and is characterized by being preprogrammed, interactive, adaptative and evolutionary. If life is the process, living beings are the system in which this process takes place. I also wonder whether viruses can be considered living things or not. Taking as a starting point my definition of life and, of course, on what others have thought about it, I am in favor of considering viruses as living beings. I base this conclusion on the fact that viruses satisfy all the vital characteristics common to all living things and on the role they have played in the evolution of species. Finally, I argue that if there were life elsewhere in the universe, it would be very similar to what we know on this planet because the laws of physics and the composition of matter are universal and because of the principle of the inexorability of life.
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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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McGuigan K, Hoffmann AA, Sgrò CM. How is epigenetics predicted to contribute to climate change adaptation? What evidence do we need? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200119. [PMID: 33866811 PMCID: PMC8059617 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenerational effects that are interpreted in terms of epigenetics have become an important research focus at a time when rapid environmental changes are occurring. These effects are usually interpreted as enhancing fitness extremely rapidly, without depending on the slower process of natural selection changing DNA-encoded (fixed) genetic variants in populations. Supporting evidence comes from a variety of sources, including environmental associations with epialleles, cross-generation responses of clonal material exposed to different environmental conditions, and altered patterns of methylation or frequency changes in epialleles across time. Transgenerational environmental effects have been postulated to be larger than those associated with DNA-encoded genetic changes, based on (for instance) stronger associations between epialleles and environmental conditions. Yet environmental associations for fixed genetic differences may always be weak under polygenic models where multiple combinations of alleles can lead to the same evolutionary outcome. The ultimate currency of adaptation is fitness, and few transgenerational studies have robustly determined fitness effects, particularly when compared to fixed genetic variants. Not all transgenerational modifications triggered by climate change will increase fitness: stressful conditions often trigger negative fitness effects across generations that can eliminate benefits. Epigenetic responses and other transgenerational effects will undoubtedly play a role in climate change adaptation, but further, well-designed, studies are required to test their importance relative to DNA-encoded changes. This article is part of the theme issue 'How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina McGuigan
- School of Biological Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ary A. Hoffmann
- School of Biosciences and Bio21 Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3010, Australia
| | - Carla M. Sgrò
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne 3800, Australia
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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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42
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Shirai K, Sato MP, Nishi R, Seki M, Suzuki Y, Hanada K. Positive selective sweeps of epigenetic mutations regulating specialized metabolites in plants. Genome Res 2021; 31:1060-1068. [PMID: 34006571 PMCID: PMC8168577 DOI: 10.1101/gr.271726.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation is an important factor regulating gene expression in organisms. However, whether DNA methylation plays a key role in adaptive evolution is unknown. Here, we show evidence of naturally selected DNA methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana. In comparison with single nucleotide polymorphisms, three types of methylation—methylated CGs (mCGs), mCHGs, and mCHHs—contributed highly to variable gene expression levels among an A. thaliana population. Such variably expressed genes largely affect a large variation of specialized metabolic quantities. Among the three types of methylations, only mCGs located in promoter regions of genes associated with specialized metabolites show a selective sweep signature in the A. thaliana population. Thus, naturally selected mCGs appear to be key mutations that cause the expressional diversity associated with specialized metabolites during plant evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazumasa Shirai
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiko P Sato
- Kawatabi Field Science Center, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Miyagi 989-6711, Japan
| | - Ranko Nishi
- RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
| | - Masahide Seki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8562, Japan
| | - Yutaka Suzuki
- Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa 277-8562, Japan
| | - Kousuke Hanada
- Department of Bioscience and Bioinformatics, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Fukuoka 820-8502, Japan
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43
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Stajic D, Jansen LET. Empirical evidence for epigenetic inheritance driving evolutionary adaptation. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200121. [PMID: 33866813 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The cellular machinery that regulates gene expression can be self-propagated across cell division cycles and even generations. This renders gene expression states and their associated phenotypes heritable, independently of genetic changes. These phenotypic states, in turn, can be subject to selection and may influence evolutionary adaptation. In this review, we will discuss the molecular basis of epigenetic inheritance, the extent of its transmission and mechanisms of evolutionary adaptation. The current work shows that heritable gene expression can facilitate the process of adaptation through the increase of survival in a novel environment and by enlarging the size of beneficial mutational targets. Moreover, epigenetic control of gene expression enables stochastic switching between different phenotypes in populations that can potentially facilitate adaptation in rapidly fluctuating environments. Ecological studies of the variation of epigenetic markers (e.g. DNA methylation patterns) in wild populations show a potential contribution of this mode of inheritance to local adaptation in nature. However, the extent of the adaptive contribution of the naturally occurring variation in epi-alleles compared to genetic variation remains unclear. This article is part of the theme issue 'How does epigenetics influence the course of evolution?'
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragan Stajic
- Department of Zoology, University of Stockholm, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars E T Jansen
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
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44
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Boquete MT, Muyle A, Alonso C. Plant epigenetics: phenotypic and functional diversity beyond the DNA sequence. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2021; 108:553-558. [PMID: 33887061 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Phenotypic variation determines the capacity of plants to adapt to changing environments and to colonize new habitats. Deciphering the mechanisms contributing to plant phenotypic variation and their effects on plant ecological interactions and evolutionary dynamics is thus central to all biological disciplines. In the past few decades, research on plant epigenetics is showing that (1) epigenetic variation is related to phenotypic variation and that some epigenetic marks drive major phenotypic changes in plants; (2) plant epigenomes are highly diverse, dynamic, and can respond rapidly to a variety of biotic and abiotic stimuli; (3) epigenetic variation can respond to selection and therefore play a role in adaptive evolution. Yet, current information in terms of species, geographic ranges, and ecological contexts analyzed so far is too limited to allow for generalizations about the relevance of epigenetic regulation in phenotypic innovation and plant adaptation across taxa. In this report, we contextualize the potential role of the epigenome in plant adaptation to the environment and describe the latest research in this field presented during the symposium "Plant epigenetics: phenotypic and functional diversity beyond the DNA sequence" held within the Botany 2020 conference framework in summer 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Teresa Boquete
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Aline Muyle
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, UC Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Conchita Alonso
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain
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45
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Basu A, Bobrovnikov DG, Ha T. DNA mechanics and its biological impact. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:166861. [PMID: 33539885 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.166861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Almost all nucleoprotein interactions and DNA manipulation events involve mechanical deformations of DNA. Extraordinary progresses in single-molecule, structural, and computational methods have characterized the average mechanical properties of DNA, such as bendability and torsional rigidity, in high resolution. Further, the advent of sequencing technology has permitted measuring, in high-throughput, how such mechanical properties vary with sequence and epigenetic modifications along genomes. We review these recent technological advancements, and discuss how they have contributed to the emerging idea that variations in the mechanical properties of DNA play a fundamental role in regulating, genome-wide, diverse processes involved in chromatin organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aakash Basu
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Dmitriy G Bobrovnikov
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Taekjip Ha
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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46
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Vogt G. Epigenetic variation in animal populations: Sources, extent, phenotypic implications, and ecological and evolutionary relevance. J Biosci 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s12038-021-00138-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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47
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De Kort H, Prunier JG, Ducatez S, Honnay O, Baguette M, Stevens VM, Blanchet S. Life history, climate and biogeography interactively affect worldwide genetic diversity of plant and animal populations. Nat Commun 2021; 12:516. [PMID: 33483517 PMCID: PMC7822833 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-20958-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how biological and environmental factors interactively shape the global distribution of plant and animal genetic diversity is fundamental to biodiversity conservation. Genetic diversity measured in local populations (GDP) is correspondingly assumed representative for population fitness and eco-evolutionary dynamics. For 8356 populations across the globe, we report that plants systematically display much lower GDP than animals, and that life history traits shape GDP patterns both directly (animal longevity and size), and indirectly by mediating core-periphery patterns (animal fecundity and plant dispersal). Particularly in some plant groups, peripheral populations can sustain similar GDP as core populations, emphasizing their potential conservation value. We further find surprisingly weak support for general latitudinal GDP trends. Finally, contemporary rather than past climate contributes to the spatial distribution of GDP, suggesting that contemporary environmental changes affect global patterns of GDP. Our findings generate new perspectives for the conservation of genetic resources at worldwide and taxonomic-wide scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- H De Kort
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium.
| | - J G Prunier
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SETE Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, Moulis, France
| | - S Ducatez
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - O Honnay
- Plant Conservation and Population Biology, Department of Biology, University of Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium
| | - M Baguette
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SETE Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, Moulis, France
- Institut Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), UMR 7205 Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | - V M Stevens
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SETE Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, Moulis, France
| | - S Blanchet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, SETE Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale, UMR 5321, Moulis, France
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48
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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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49
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Skinner MK, Nilsson EE. Role of environmentally induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in evolutionary biology: Unified Evolution Theory. ENVIRONMENTAL EPIGENETICS 2021; 7:dvab012. [PMID: 34729214 PMCID: PMC8557805 DOI: 10.1093/eep/dvab012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The current evolutionary biology theory primarily involves genetic alterations and random DNA sequence mutations to generate the phenotypic variation required for Darwinian natural selection to act. This neo-Darwinian evolution is termed the Modern Evolution Synthesis and has been the primary paradigm for nearly 100 years. Although environmental factors have a role in neo-Darwinian natural selection, Modern Evolution Synthesis does not consider environment to impact the basic molecular processes involved in evolution. An Extended Evolutionary Synthesis has recently developed that extends the modern synthesis to consider non-genetic processes. Over the past few decades, environmental epigenetics research has been demonstrated to regulate genetic processes and directly generate phenotypic variation independent of genetic sequence alterations. Therefore, the environment can on a molecular level through non-genetic (i.e. epigenetic) mechanisms directly influence phenotypic variation, genetic variation, inheritance and adaptation. This direct action of the environment to alter phenotype that is heritable is a neo-Lamarckian concept that can facilitate neo-Darwinian (i.e. Modern Synthesis) evolution. The integration of genetics, epigenetics, Darwinian theory, Lamarckian concepts, environment, and epigenetic inheritance provides a paradigm shift in evolution theory. The role of environmental-induced epigenetic transgenerational inheritance in evolution is presented to describe a more unified theory of evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael K Skinner
- **Correspondence address. Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA. Tel: +1 509-335-1524; E-mail:
| | - Eric E Nilsson
- Center for Reproductive Biology, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
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50
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Laanen P, Saenen E, Mysara M, Van de Walle J, Van Hees M, Nauts R, Van Nieuwerburgh F, Voorspoels S, Jacobs G, Cuypers A, Horemans N. Changes in DNA Methylation in Arabidopsis thaliana Plants Exposed Over Multiple Generations to Gamma Radiation. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:611783. [PMID: 33868326 PMCID: PMC8044457 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.611783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies have found indications that exposure to ionising radiation (IR) results in DNA methylation changes in plants. However, this phenomenon is yet to be studied across multiple generations. Furthermore, the exact role of these changes in the IR-induced plant response is still far from understood. Here, we study the effect of gamma radiation on DNA methylation and its effect across generations in young Arabidopsis plants. A multigenerational set-up was used in which three generations (Parent, generation 1, and generation 2) of 7-day old Arabidopsis thaliana plants were exposed to either of the different radiation treatments (30, 60, 110, or 430 mGy/h) or to natural background radiation (control condition) for 14 days. The parental generation consisted of previously non-exposed plants, whereas generation 1 and generation 2 plants had already received a similar irradiation in the previous one or two generations, respectively. Directly after exposure the entire methylomes were analysed with UPLC-MS/MS to measure whole genome methylation levels. Whole genome bisulfite sequencing was used to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs), including their methylation context in the three generations and this for three different radiation conditions (control, 30 mGy/h, and 110 mGy/h). Both intra- and intergenerational comparisons of the genes and transposable elements associated with the DMRs were made. Taking the methylation context into account, the highest number of changes were found for cytosines followed directly by guanine (CG methylation), whereas only limited changes in CHG methylation occurred and no changes in CHH methylation were observed. A clear increase in IR-induced DMRs was seen over the three generations that were exposed to the lowest dose rate, where generation 2 had a markedly higher number of DMRs than the previous two generations (Parent and generation 1). Counterintuitively, we did not see significant differences in the plants exposed to the highest dose rate. A large number of DMRs associated with transposable elements were found, the majority of them being hypermethylated, likely leading to more genetic stability. Next to that, a significant number of DMRs were associated with genes (either in their promoter-associated region or gene body). A functional analysis of these genes showed an enrichment for genes related to development as well as various stress responses, including DNA repair, RNA splicing, and (a)biotic stress responses. These observations indicate a role of DNA methylation in the regulation of these genes in response to IR exposure and shows a possible role for epigenetics in plant adaptation to IR over multiple generations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pol Laanen
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Research, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Eline Saenen
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Mohamed Mysara
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Jorden Van de Walle
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Research, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - May Van Hees
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Robin Nauts
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
| | - Filip Van Nieuwerburgh
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- NXTGNT, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Griet Jacobs
- Vlaamse Instelling voor Technologisch Onderzoek, VITO, Mol, Belgium
| | - Ann Cuypers
- Centre for Environmental Research, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Nele Horemans
- Biosphere Impact Studies, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Mol, Belgium
- Centre for Environmental Research, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Nele Horemans,
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