In planta assays involving epigenetically silenced genes reveal inhibition of cytosine methylation by genistein.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cytosine methylation is involved in epigenetic control of gene expression in a wide range of organisms. An increasing number of examples indicate that changing the frequency of cytosine methylation in the genome is a feasible tool to engineer novel traits in plants. Although demethylating effects of compounds have been analyzed in human cultured cells in terms of suppressing cancer, their effect in plant cells has not been analyzed extensively. Here, we developed in planta assay systems to detect inhibition of cytosine methylation using plants that contain a transgene transcriptionally silenced by an epigenetic mechanism.

Results

Seeds of two transgenic plants were used: a petunia line that has been identified as a revertant of the co-suppression of the chalcone s

SUBMITTER: Arase S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3362751 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature