Vegetal memory through the lens of transcriptomic changes - recent progress and future practical prospects for...

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Epigenetics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Plant memory is crucial for environmental acclimation and evolutionary adaptation.
• It involves complex cellular, biochemical, and molecular networks for information processing.
• Inheritable plant memory has significant adaptive and evolutionary implications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an updated overview of plant memory formation, types, and checkpoints.
• To focus on the transcriptional aspects of plant memory, termed transcriptional memory.
• To explore the role of non-coding RNAs and RNA interference in plant memory.

Main Methods:

• Review of current knowledge on plant memory mechanisms.
• Focus on transcriptional regulation and epigenetic modifications.
• Analysis of the roles of long and small non-coding RNAs.
• Examination of RNA interference pathways at RNA and DNA levels.

Main Results:

• Transcriptional memory is regulated by non-coding RNAs and epigenetic changes.
• RNA interference mechanisms at RNA and DNA levels are key players.
• Interplay between different layers of plant memory ensures information retention.
• Plant memory offers strategies for environmental stress adaptation.

Conclusions:

• Plant transcriptional memory, regulated by non-coding RNAs and epigenetics, is vital for acclimation.
• Understanding these mechanisms can lead to climate-resilient agriculture.
• Applications include crop priming and memory modification for enhanced crop performance.