Methylome changes in Lolium perenne associated with long-term colonisation by the endophytic fungus Epichloe sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37.

ABSTRACT: Epichloë spp. often form mutualistic interactions with cool-season grasses, such as Lolium perenne. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction remain poorly understood. In this study, we employed reduced representation bisulfite sequencing method (epiGBS) to investigate the impact of the Epichloë sp. LpTG-3 strain AR37 on the methylome of L. perenne across multiple grass generations and under drought stress conditions. Our results showed that the presence of the endophyte leads to a decrease in DNA methylation across genomic features, with differentially methylated regions primarily located in intergenic regions and CHH contexts. The presence of the endophyte was consistently associated with hypomethylation in plants across generations.

SUBMITTER: Forte FP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10557135 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature