2017 article

Epigenetic Reprogramming During Plant Reproduction

PLANT EPIGENETICS, pp. 405–425.

By: J. Lin* & T. Hsieh n

co-author countries: United States of America 🇺🇸
author keywords: Epigenetics; Reprogramming; Gametogenesis; Reproduction; DNA Methylation; Active DNA Demethylation; Chromatin Remodeling; Transgenerational Inheritance; siRNAs
Source: Web Of Science
Added: August 6, 2018

Epigenetics is the study of heritable change in gene expression state that is independent of DNA sequence variation. Such change can occur through DNA methylation or posttranscriptional modifications of histones. Epigenetic mechanisms play critical roles in regulating gene expression during development and in response to environmental stimulation. Such epigenetic information represents the transcriptional memory associated with cell fate decisions, developmental switches, or stress responses; memory that often needs to be erased and reset during reproduction. By contrast, transgenerational epigenetic information refers to more indelible marks that can be stably transmitted through meiosis and inherited in the subsequent generation. Epigenetic reprogramming, a global change in DNA and/or histone methylation, has been reported during reproduction in mammals and in flowering plants. Such reprogramming is thought to be essential for ensuring meiosis competence, establishing genomic imprinting, and silencing transposons. In Arabidopsis, gene imprinting is a consequence of a large-scale epigenetic reprogramming via DEMETER-mediated active DNA demethylation during gametogenesis. Such reprogramming is believed to be critical for the maintenance of trans-generational epigenome integrity.