Epigenetic variation: A major player in facilitating plant fitness under changing environmental conditions

Abstract

Recent research in plant epigenetics has increased our understanding of how epigenetic variability can contribute to adaptive phenotypic plasticity in natural populations. Studies show that environmental changes induce epigenetic switches either independently or in complementation with the genetic variation. Although most of the induced epigenetic variability gets reset between generations and is short-lived, some variation becomes transgenerational and results in heritable phenotypic traits. The short-term epigenetic responses provide the first tier of transient plasticity required for local adaptations while transgenerational epigenetic changes contribute to stress memory and help the plants respond better to recurring or long-term stresses. These transgenerational epigenetic variations translate into an additional tier of diversity which results in stable epialleles. In recent years, studies have been conducted on epigenetic variation in natural populations related to various biological processes, ecological factors, communities, and habitats. With the advent of advanced NGS-based technologies, epigenetic studies targeting plants in diverse environments have increased manifold to enhance our understanding of epigenetic responses to environmental stimuli in facilitating plant fitness. Taking all points together in a frame, the present review is a compilation of present-day knowledge and understanding of the role of epigenetics and its fitness benefits in diverse ecological systems in natural populations.

Population-level annotation of lncRNA transcription in Arabidopsis reveals extensive variation associated with transposable element-like silencing

“…S20B). While purely epigenetic variation is well-known [74,75], our analysis did not distinguish between this and the case when the epigenetic variation that defines expression variation is itself defined by an underlying genetic or structural variation. We showed that two structural features of lincRNA loci – their TE content and their copy number – are associated with silencing and increased expression and epigenetic variation (Fig.…”

Population-level annotation of lncRNAs in Arabidopsis reveals extensive expression variation associated with transposable element–like silencing

“…S20B ). While purely epigenetic variation is well known ( Xu et al 2019 ; Rajpal et al 2022 ), our analysis did not distinguish between this and when the epigenetic variation that defines expression variation is itself defined by an underlying genetic or structural variation. We showed that 2 structural features of lincRNA loci—their TE content and their copy number—are associated with silencing and increased expression and epigenetic variation ( Figs.…”

Cytokinin and Metabolites Affect Rhizome Growth and Development in Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis)

“…Plants exhibit phenotypic plasticity in response to habitat heterogeneity by altering their morphological characteristics and cellular metabolism to form stable heritable structural features [ 27 ]. Under the influence of endogenous phytohormones and environmental signals, plants display general heterogeneity in branching development patterns, growth rates, and other traits throughout their life cycle [ 28 ]. This phenotypic plasticity enables plants to evolve in response to harsh environments by altering their morphology and physiology to enhance their survival and reproduction [ 29 , 30 ].…”