Connecting Epigenetic and Genetic Diversity of LTR Retrotransposons in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and Arabidopsis thaliana L.

ABSTRACT: Transposable elements (TEs) are ubiquitous components of plant genomes that profoundly influence plant diversity, adaptation, and genome structure. Transposition of TEs is primarily suppressed by distinct DNA methylation systems. However, the distribution of DNA methylation at the level of individual TEs in plants remains poorly understood. Here, we address this question by generating per-base cytosine methylation maps of individual long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTEs) for the large sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) and the small Arabidopsis thaliana genomes. A. thaliana was selected as the model species, for which genome-wide DNA methylation profiles have been extensively characterized in prior studies. Our analysis revealed significant heterogeneity in met

SUBMITTER: Tiurin K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12844716 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature