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Decoding resilience: ecology, regulation, and evolution of biosynthetic gene clusters
George Lister Cawood1, Jurriaan Ton1
1Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK.
Trends in Plant Science
|October 11, 2024
Summary
Plant biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) are not random, challenging eukaryotic models. Stress-induced epigenetic processes likely shaped BGC formation and function in plant survival and evolution.
Area of Science:
- Plant biology
- Genetics
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Secondary metabolism is vital for plant survival, yielding compounds with nutritional, therapeutic, and industrial applications.
- Biosynthetic genes for secondary metabolites often form clusters (BGCs) in localized chromosomal regions, contradicting random gene distribution models in eukaryotes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of BGCs in plant-biotic interactions.
- To evaluate molecular and epigenetic mechanisms controlling BGC expression.
- To propose an updated evolutionary model for BGC formation.
Main Methods:
- Literature review integrating evidence on BGC arrangement, regulation, and evolution.
- Analysis of BGCs' chromatin signatures and association with transposable elements (TEs).
Main Results:
- BGCs exhibit non-random organization, challenging traditional eukaryotic gene order models.
- Evidence suggests BGCs are linked to plant-biotic interactions and possess distinct chromatin features.
- Transposable elements (TEs) are enriched in BGC regions.
Conclusions:
- The clustered arrangement of BGCs suggests coordinated regulation and evolutionary significance.
- Epigenetic processes, particularly stress-induced changes, are crucial in shaping BGC formation and evolution.
- Updated models emphasize the role of epigenetics in BGC evolution and their contribution to plant adaptation.
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