Alonso Conchita, Pérez Ricardo, Bazaga Pilar, Medrano Mónica, Herrera Carlos M
Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092, Sevilla, Spain.
Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas, Centro de Investigaciones Científicas Isla de La Cartuja, CSIC-US, Avda. Américo Vespucio s/n, E-41092, Sevilla, Spain.
Am J Bot. 2014 Aug;101(8):1309-13. doi: 10.3732/ajb.1400126. Epub 2014 Aug 11.
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Few studies have examined how epigenetic modifications of DNA may influence individual plant phenotypes and ecological processes in wild plant populations. We investigated natural variation in global DNA cytosine methylation and its phenotypic correlates in the perennial herb Helleborus foetidus.•
We focused specifically on individual differences in size- and fecundity-related traits and used HPLC to quantify percentage of total cytosines in the genome of young full-grown leaves that were methylated.•
About one third of all cytosines in H. foetidus genome were methylated. Methylation level differed significantly among individual plants (range = 26.4-36.6%; n = 60 plants), and this variation was significantly related to most size- and fecundity-related traits considered. Relatively hypomethylated plants bore more vegetative, reproductive, and total ramets, produced more flowers, larger inflorescences and more seed-bearing follicles, and their ramets remained vegetative for fewer years before reproducing sexually, than relatively hypermethylated ones. Taken together, results revealed that individual differences in size and reproductive output were inversely related to global cytosine methylation.•
These results confirm, in a natural scenario, the association between DNA methylation and size- and fecundity-related traits that was previously found by experimental studies. Variations in global cytosine methylation were predictably related to individual differences in sexual reproduction through significant effects on flower and fruit production, which might ultimately influence patterns of selection and population dynamics in this species. This study provides novel insights on the potential ecological significance of epigenetic heterogeneity in wild plant populations.
研究前提：很少有研究探讨DNA的表观遗传修饰如何影响野生植物种群中个体植物的表型和生态过程。我们调查了多年生草本植物臭嚏根草全球DNA胞嘧啶甲基化的自然变异及其表型相关性。
方法：我们特别关注与大小和繁殖力相关性状的个体差异，并使用高效液相色谱法（HPLC）对成熟幼叶基因组中甲基化的总胞嘧啶百分比进行定量。
关键结果：臭嚏根草基因组中约三分之一的胞嘧啶被甲基化。个体植物之间的甲基化水平存在显著差异（范围 = 26.4 - 36.6%；n = 60株植物），这种变异与所考虑的大多数与大小和繁殖力相关的性状显著相关。与甲基化程度相对较高的植物相比，甲基化程度相对较低的植物具有更多的营养枝、生殖枝和总分枝，产生更多的花、更大的花序和更多的结果蓇葖果，并且它们的分枝在进行有性繁殖之前保持营养状态的年限更少。综合来看，结果表明大小和繁殖输出的个体差异与全球胞嘧啶甲基化呈负相关。
结论：这些结果在自然场景中证实了先前实验研究发现的DNA甲基化与大小和繁殖力相关性状之间的关联。全球胞嘧啶甲基化的变化通过对花和果实产量的显著影响，可预测地与有性繁殖中的个体差异相关，这可能最终影响该物种的选择模式和种群动态。本研究为野生植物种群中表观遗传异质性的潜在生态意义提供了新的见解。
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