Transient Stability of Epigenetic Population Differentiation in a Clonal Invader

Shi, Wen; Chen, Xiaojie; Gao, Lexuan; Xu, Cheng-Yuan; Ou, Xiaokun; Bossdorf, Oliver; Yang, Ji Hyun; Geng, Yupeng

doi:10.3389/fpls.2018.01851

Cited by 56 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 54 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A previous study has shown that JA-mediated induction of herbivore defenses in apomictic dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) resulted in differential methylation changes throughout the plant genome that were transmitted to asexually produced offspring (Verhoeven et al 2010) and herbivores preferred to feed on leaves from offspring of untreated control plants over leaves from offspring of JA-treated plants (Verhoeven and van Gurp 2012). A recent study of alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides) also revealed that epigenetic modifications of DNA can persist in belowground rhizomes for several asexual generations (Shi et al 2019), but this study did not examine the function of the genes that were modified. Future studies of trans-seasonal induced defensive traits in clonal offshoots should focus on elucidating how herbivory affects the epigenetic signatures in the rhizomes, how these signatures affect the expression of induced defenses, and their impact on fitness across growing seasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbivory and inbreeding affect growth, reproduction, and resistance in the rhizomatous offshoots of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Resource sharing within clonal plant networks can occur via the translocation of water, nutrients, and photoassimilates through rhizomes and stolons. Similar mechanisms may mediate the sharing of information (e.g., about herbivory or other environmental stressors) among ramets via molecular or biochemical signals. The storage of such information in belowground structures could facilitate the transmission of appropriate phenotypic responses across growing seasons in perennial species. However, few previous studies have explored the potential transfer of ecologically relevant information within such networks. This study addresses the effects of foliar herbivory and belowground overwintering on the growth and flowering, physical defenses, and herbivore resistance in the clonally spreading species Solanum carolinense L. (Solanaceae). We used rhizomes from inbred and outbred plants that were repeatedly exposed to feeding damage by Manduca sexta L. (Sphingidae) caterpillars and rhizomes from undamaged control plants. These rhizomes were either planted immediately or exposed to overwintering conditions and allowed to produce new ramets (rhizomatous offshoots). We then assessed offshoot emergence, flowering, physical defense traits, and herbivore performance. Relative to controls, offshoots of herbivore-damaged plants exhibited greater spine and trichome densities, and reduced performance of M. sexta larvae. However, they also emerged and flowered significantly later, and produced fewer flowers than offshoots of undamaged plants. Inbreeding also negatively affected offshoot emergence, flowering, trichome production, and herbivore resistance. These effects of parental herbivory were more pronounced in outbred offshoots, indicating that inbreeding may compromise the trans-seasonal induction of plant defenses. Finally, exposure to overwintering conditions increased trichome production and reduced caterpillar performance on offshoots. Together, these results show that induced defenses can be transmitted through rhizomes and affect offshoot growth, flowering, defensive traits, and herbivore resistance. They also document fitness-related costs associated with defense induction in offshoots and suggest that the transfer of defenses across seasons can be compromised by inbreeding.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Herbivory and inbreeding affect growth, reproduction, and resistance in the rhizomatous offshoots of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)

et al. 2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…; Shi et al . , ). Also, in the recent decade this species has been frequently used as a model clonal plant species ( e.g .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of parental light environment on growth and morphological responses of clonal offspring

Dong

Meng

2019

Plant Biol J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Environments experienced by parent ramets of clonal plants can potentially influence fitness of clonal offspring ramets. Such clonal parental effects may result from heritable epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, which can be removed by application of DNA de-methylation agents such as 5-azacytidine.• To test whether parental shading effects occur via clonal generation and whether DNA methylation plays a role in such effects, parent plants of the clonal herb Alternanthera philoxeroides were first subjected to two levels of light intensity (high versus low) crossed with two levels of DNA de-methylation (no or with de-methylation by application of 5-azacytidine), and then clonal offspring taken from each of these four types of parent plant were subjected to the same two light levels.• Parental shading effects transmitted via clonal generation decreased growth and modified morphology of clonal offspring. Offspring responses were also influenced by DNA methylation level of parent plants. For clonal offspring growing under low light, parental shading effects on growth and morphology were always negative, irrespective of the parental de-methylation treatment. For clonal offspring growing under high light, parental shading effects on offspring growth and morphology were negative when the parents were not treated with 5-azacytidine, but neutral when they were treated with 5-azacytidine.• Overall, parental shading effects on clonal offspring performance of A. philoxeroides were found, and DNA methylation is likely to be involved in such effects. However, parental shading effects contributed little to the tolerance of clonal offspring to shading.

show abstract

“…In addition to environmentally induced epigenetic variation, spontaneous epimutation may also cause the observed epigenetic differences among natural population. For example, a multi-generation common garden experiment on Alternanthera philoxeroides revealed that a combination of environmental induction and spontaneous epimutation resulted in epigenetic variation in the species (Shi et al 2019). These epigenetic variations, either induced environmentally or resulting from spontaneous epimutation or both, may be stably inherited across generations (Jablonka and Raz 2009).…”

Section: Epigenetic Basis Of Phenotypic Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation in invasive plants – linking research trends towards a unified framework

Banerjee¹,

Guo²,

Huang³

2019

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Phenotypic variation in the introduced range of an invasive species can be modified by genetic variation, environmental conditions and their interaction, as well as stochastic events like genetic drift. Recent studies found that epigenetic modifications may also contribute to phenotypic variation being independent of genetic changes. Despite gaining profound ecological insights from empirical studies, understanding the relative contributions of these molecular mechanisms behind phenotypic variation has received little attention for invasive plant species in particular. This review therefore aimed at summarizing and synthesizing information on the genetic and epigenetic basis of phenotypic variation of alien invasive plants in the introduced range and their evolutionary consequences. Transgenerational inheritance of epigenetic modifications was highlighted focusing on its influence on microevolution of the invasive plant species. We presented a comprehensive account of epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation and its role in plant invasion in the presence of reduced standing genetic variation, inbreeding depression and associated genomic events which have often been observed during introduction and range expansion of an invasive alien species. Finally, taking clues from the studies conducted so far, we proposed a unified framework of future experimental approaches to understand ecological and evolutionary aspects of phenotypic variation. This holistic approach, being aligned to the invasion process in particular (introduction-establishment-spread), was intended to understand the molecular mechanisms of phenotypic variation of an invasive species in its introduced range and to disentangle the effects of standing genetic variation and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation.

show abstract

Transient Stability of Epigenetic Population Differentiation in a Clonal Invader

Cited by 56 publications

References 54 publications

Herbivory and inbreeding affect growth, reproduction, and resistance in the rhizomatous offshoots of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)

Herbivory and inbreeding affect growth, reproduction, and resistance in the rhizomatous offshoots of Solanum carolinense (Solanaceae)

Effects of parental light environment on growth and morphological responses of clonal offspring

Genetic and epigenetic regulation of phenotypic variation in invasive plants – linking research trends towards a unified framework

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About