Experimental Alteration of DNA Methylation Affects the Phenotypic Plasticity of Ecologically Relevant Traits in Arabidopsis
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC 137B
Start Date
16-5-2013
End Date
16-5-2013
Abstract
Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change its phenotype (expressed characteristics) in response to its environment. For example, plants with the same genotype may respond differently to shading stress due to variation in expression of shade-tolerance genes among individuals. These variations in gene expression may be controlled by DNA methylation, but the effect of DNA methylation on phenotypic plasticity is poorly understood. Understanding how DNA methylation affects plant response to the environment is important because it has far reaching consequences for plant adaptation to new environments and implications for crop improvement. In this study, we examined how DNA methylation affects plant phenotypic plasticity to different shading environments. We treated eight lines of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with a de-methylating agent (5-azacytidine), and then grew treated and untreated (control) individuals under two light conditions: 1) simulated foliar shade (green lighting filters); and 2) neutral shade (white lighting filters). Our preliminary results indicate that demethylated plants do not respond in the predicted manner to shade treatments, and that demethylation affects lines differently. These results suggest that DNA methylation is an important aspect of plant phenotypic plasticity to shade, and that this response is genetically variable. This study is one of the first to demonstrate that DNA methylation affects phenotypic plasticity to ecologically relevant environmental conditions, and lends insight into the genetic control of phenotypic plasticity in natural plant populations.
Recommended Citation
Marrese, Anthony, "Experimental Alteration of DNA Methylation Affects the Phenotypic Plasticity of Ecologically Relevant Traits in Arabidopsis " (2013). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 61.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2013/oralpresentations/61
Additional Mentoring Department
Biological Sciences
Experimental Alteration of DNA Methylation Affects the Phenotypic Plasticity of Ecologically Relevant Traits in Arabidopsis
SURC 137B
Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change its phenotype (expressed characteristics) in response to its environment. For example, plants with the same genotype may respond differently to shading stress due to variation in expression of shade-tolerance genes among individuals. These variations in gene expression may be controlled by DNA methylation, but the effect of DNA methylation on phenotypic plasticity is poorly understood. Understanding how DNA methylation affects plant response to the environment is important because it has far reaching consequences for plant adaptation to new environments and implications for crop improvement. In this study, we examined how DNA methylation affects plant phenotypic plasticity to different shading environments. We treated eight lines of Arabidopsis thaliana plants with a de-methylating agent (5-azacytidine), and then grew treated and untreated (control) individuals under two light conditions: 1) simulated foliar shade (green lighting filters); and 2) neutral shade (white lighting filters). Our preliminary results indicate that demethylated plants do not respond in the predicted manner to shade treatments, and that demethylation affects lines differently. These results suggest that DNA methylation is an important aspect of plant phenotypic plasticity to shade, and that this response is genetically variable. This study is one of the first to demonstrate that DNA methylation affects phenotypic plasticity to ecologically relevant environmental conditions, and lends insight into the genetic control of phenotypic plasticity in natural plant populations.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Jennifer Dechaine