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Published on: October 11, 2024
Epigenetic control of plant abiotic stress responses
Lijun Ma1, Lihe Xing2, Zicong Li3
1Key Laboratory of Seed Innovation, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environmental Adaption Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China.
Abstract:
On top of genetic information, organisms have evolved complex and sophisticated epigenetic regulation to adjust gene expression in response to developmental and environmental signals. Key epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications and variants, chromatin remodeling, and chemical modifications of RNAs. Epigenetic control of environmental responses is particularly important for plants, which are sessile and unable to move away from adverse environments. Besides enabling plants to rapidly respond to environmental stresses, some stress-induced epigenetic changes can be maintained, providing plants with a pre-adapted state to recurring stresses. Understanding these epigenetic mechanisms offers valuable insights for developing crop varieties with enhanced stress tolerance. Here, we focus on abiotic stresses and summarize recent progress in characterizing stress-induced epigenetic changes and their regulatory mechanisms and roles in plant abiotic stress resistance.
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Transcription
Transcription is the process of synthesizing RNA from a DNA sequence by RNA polymerase. It is the first step in producing a protein from a gene sequence. Additionally, many other proteins and regulatory sequences are involved in the proper synthesis of messenger RNA (mRNA). Regulation of transcription is responsible for the differentiation of all the different types of cells and often for the proper cellular response to environmental signals.
Transcription Can Produce Different Kinds...
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