Stress-induced DNA methylation changes and their heritability in asexual dandelions

K.J.F. Verhoeven, J.J. Jansen, P.J. Van Dijk, A. Biere

Onderzoeksoutput: Bijdrage aan wetenschappelijk tijdschrift/periodieke uitgaveArtikelWetenschappelijkpeer review

497 Citaten (Scopus)
5 Downloads (Pure)

Samenvatting

• DNA methylation can cause heritable phenotypic modifications in the absence of changes in DNA sequence. Environmental stresses can trigger methylation changes and this may have evolutionary consequences, even in the absence of sequence variation. However, it remains largely unknown to what extent environmentally induced methylation changes are transmitted to offspring, and whether observed methylation variation is truly independent or a downstream consequence of genetic variation between individ • Genetically identical apomictic dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) plants were exposed to different ecological stresses, and apomictic offspring were raised in a common unstressed environment. We used methylation-sensitive amplified fragment length polymorphism markers to screen genome-wide methylation alterations triggered by stress treatments and to assess the heritability of induced changes. • Various stresses, most notably chemical induction of herbivore and pathogen defenses, triggered considerable methylation variation throughout the genome. Many modifications were faithfully transmitted to offspring. Stresses caused some epigenetic divergence between treatment and controls, but also increased epigenetic variation among plants within treatments. • These results show the following. First, stress-induced methylation changes are common and are mostly heritable. Second, sequence-independent, autonomous methylation variation is readily generated. This highlights the potential of epigenetic inheritance to play an independent role in evolutionary processes, which is superimposed on the system of genetic inheritance.
Originele taal-2Engels
Pagina's (van-tot)1108-1118
TijdschriftNew Phytologist
Volume185
Nummer van het tijdschrift4
DOI's
StatusGepubliceerd - 2010

Vingerafdruk

Duik in de onderzoeksthema's van 'Stress-induced DNA methylation changes and their heritability in asexual dandelions'. Samen vormen ze een unieke vingerafdruk.

Citeer dit