Transgenerational adaptation of Arabidopsis to stress requires DNA methylation and the function of Dicer-like proteins.

ABSTRACT: Epigenetic states and certain environmental responses in mammals and seed plants can persist in the next sexual generation. These transgenerational effects have potential adaptative significance as well as medical and agronomic ramifications. Recent evidence suggests that some abiotic and biotic stress responses of plants are transgenerational. For example, viral infection of tobacco plants and exposure of Arabidopsis thaliana plants to UVC and flagellin can induce transgenerational increases in homologous recombination frequency (HRF). Here we show that exposure of Arabidopsis plants to stresses, including salt, UVC, cold, heat and flood, resulted in a higher HRF, increased global genome methylation, and higher tolerance to stress in the untreated progeny. This transgenerational effect di

SUBMITTER: Boyko A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2831073 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature