DNA hypomethylation in tetraploid rice potentiates stress-responsive gene expression for salt tolerance

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2023981118
• Publication Date: 2021-03-26T19:50:20Z
• Authors: Longfei Wang; Shuai Cao; Peitong Wang; Kening Lu; Qingxin Song; Fang-Jie Zhao; Z. Jeffrey Chen
• Keywords: 2. Zero hunger; 0303 health sciences; Oryza; Cyclopentanes; Salt Tolerance; DNA Methylation; Epigenesis, Genetic; Tetraploidy; 03 medical and health sciences; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; DNA Transposable Elements; Oxylipins; Isoleucine

Polyploidy is a prominent feature for genome evolution in many animals and all flowering plants. Plant polyploids often show enhanced fitness diverse extreme environments, but the molecular basis this remains elusive. Soil salinity presents challenges plants including agricultural crops. Here we report that salt tolerance tetraploid rice through lower sodium uptake correlates with epigenetic regulation of jasmonic acid (JA)-related genes. induces DNA hypomethylation potentiates genomic loci coexistent stress-responsive genes, which are generally associated proximal transposable elements (TEs). Under stress, genes those JA pathway more rapidly induced expressed at higher levels than diploid rice, concurrent increased jasmonoyl isoleucine (JA-Ile) content signaling to confer stress tolerance. After elevated expression can induce hypermethylation suppression TEs adjacent These responses reproducible recurring round shared between two japonica lines. The data collectively suggest feedback relationship polyploidy-induced rapid strong response stress-induced repress and/or TE-associated This may provide selection enhance adaptation polyploid crops during domestication.