Journal: Current Opinion in Plant Biology
Authors: Ritter and Niederhuth
DNA methylation is found across eukaryotes; however, plants have evolved patterns and pathways of DNA methylation that are distinct from animals and fungi. DNA methylation shapes the evolution of genomes through its direct roles in transposon silencing, gene expression, genome stability, and its impact on mutation rates. In return the diversity of DNA methylation across species is shaped by genome sequence evolution. Extensive diversification of key DNA methylation pathways has continued in plants through gene duplication and loss. Meanwhile, frequent movement of transposons has altered local DNA methylation patterns and the genes affected. Only recently has the diversity and evolutionary history of plant DNA methylation become evident with the availability of increasing genomic and epigenomic data. However, much remains unresolved regarding the evolutionary forces that have shaped the dynamics of the complex and intertwined history of plant genome and epigenome evolution.
Introduction
DNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved DNA modification. However, the pathways involved and potential functions of DNA methylation have diversified within eukaryotes, particularly in plants [1]. Our understanding of what has driven this diversification in plants remains minimal. Furthermore, while there has been discussion of the possibility of heritable ‘epigenetic’ differences in DNA methylation in evolution [2], evidence for this remains elusive. Recent work suggests only weak selection, if any, on spontaneous differences in DNA methylation, or ‘epimutations’ [3,4]. Nevertheless, DNA methylation has and continues to profoundly shape genome sequence evolution in a myriad of ways through its critical roles in transposon (TE) silencing, regulating gene expression, and maintaining genome stability. In this review we explore this relationship between epigenome and genome evolution, highlighting recent findings in the field, and posing several hypotheses.
References
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Vidalis A, Živković D, Wardenaar R, Roquis D, Tellier A, Johannes F: Methylome evolution in plants. Genome Biol 2016, 17:1–14.
Xu G, Lyu J, Li Q, Liu H, Wang D, Zhang M, Springer NM, Ross-Ibarra J, Yang J: Evolutionary and functional genomics of DNA methylation in maize domestication and improvement. Nat Commun 2020, 11.
Journal: Current Opinion in Plant Biology Authors: Ritter and Niederhuth
DNA methylation is found across eukaryotes; however, plants have evolved patterns and pathways of DNA methylation that are distinct from animals and fungi. DNA methylation shapes the evolution of genomes through its direct roles in transposon silencing, gene expression, genome stability, and its impact on mutation rates. In return the diversity of DNA methylation across species is shaped by genome sequence evolution. Extensive diversification of key DNA methylation pathways has continued in plants through gene duplication and loss. Meanwhile, frequent movement of transposons has altered local DNA methylation patterns and the genes affected. Only recently has the diversity and evolutionary history of plant DNA methylation become evident with the availability of increasing genomic and epigenomic data. However, much remains unresolved regarding the evolutionary forces that have shaped the dynamics of the complex and intertwined history of plant genome and epigenome evolution.
Introduction DNA methylation is an evolutionarily conserved DNA modification. However, the pathways involved and potential functions of DNA methylation have diversified within eukaryotes, particularly in plants [1]. Our understanding of what has driven this diversification in plants remains minimal. Furthermore, while there has been discussion of the possibility of heritable ‘epigenetic’ differences in DNA methylation in evolution [2], evidence for this remains elusive. Recent work suggests only weak selection, if any, on spontaneous differences in DNA methylation, or ‘epimutations’ [3,4]. Nevertheless, DNA methylation has and continues to profoundly shape genome sequence evolution in a myriad of ways through its critical roles in transposon (TE) silencing, regulating gene expression, and maintaining genome stability. In this review we explore this relationship between epigenome and genome evolution, highlighting recent findings in the field, and posing several hypotheses.
References