Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis
Background: Plants subjected to the novel environment of spaceflight show transcriptomic changes that resemble aspects of several terrestrial abiotic stress responses. Under investigation here is whether epigenetic modulations, similar to those that occur in terrestrial stress responses, have a func...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Plant Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.691790/full |
| _version_ | 1818912618836918272 |
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| author | Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Natasha Haveman Brandon Califar Brandon Califar Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl |
| author_facet | Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Natasha Haveman Brandon Califar Brandon Califar Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl |
| author_sort | Anna-Lisa Paul |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Plants subjected to the novel environment of spaceflight show transcriptomic changes that resemble aspects of several terrestrial abiotic stress responses. Under investigation here is whether epigenetic modulations, similar to those that occur in terrestrial stress responses, have a functional role in spaceflight physiological adaptation. The Advanced Plant Experiment-04 – Epigenetic Expression experiment examined the role of cytosine methylation in spaceflight adaptation. The experiment was conducted onboard the International Space Station, and evaluated the spaceflight-altered, genome-wide methylation profiles of two methylation-regulating gene mutants [methyltransferase 1 (met1-7) and elongator complex subunit 2 (elp2-5)] along with a wild-type Col-0 control.Results: The elp2-5 plants suffered in their physiological adaptation to spaceflight in that their roots failed to extend away from the seed and the overall development of the plants was greatly impaired in space. The met1-7 plants suffered less, with their morphology affected by spaceflight in a manner similar to that of the Col-0 controls. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in spaceflight were dramatically different in the elp2-5 and met1-7 plants compared to Col-0, indicating that the disruptions in these mutants resulted in a reprogramming of their spaceflight responses, especially in elp2-5. Many of the genes comprising the spaceflight transcriptome of each genotype were differentially methylated in spaceflight. In Col-0 the majority of the DEGs were representative of the now familiar spaceflight response, which includes genes associated with cell wall remodeling, pathogen responses and ROS signaling. However, the spaceflight transcriptomes of met1-7 and elp2-5 each presented patterns of DEGs that are almost completely different than Col-0, and to each other. Further, the DEGs of the mutant genotypes suggest a more severe spaceflight stress response in the mutants, particularly in elp2-5.Conclusion: Arabidopsis physiological adaptation to spaceflight results in differential DNA methylation in an organ-specific manner. Disruption of Met1 methyltransferase function does not dramatically affect spaceflight growth or morphology, yet met1-7 reprograms the spaceflight transcriptomic response in a unique manner. Disruption of elp2-5 results in poor development in spaceflight grown plants, together with a diminished, dramatically reprogrammed transcriptomic response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T23:17:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cf3bcd8fa4c049dc905a7747121c72f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-462X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T23:17:28Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Plant Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-cf3bcd8fa4c049dc905a7747121c72f92022-12-21T20:02:04ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Plant Science1664-462X2021-09-011210.3389/fpls.2021.691790691790Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in ArabidopsisAnna-Lisa Paul0Anna-Lisa Paul1Anna-Lisa Paul2Natasha Haveman3Brandon Califar4Brandon Califar5Robert J. Ferl6Robert J. Ferl7Robert J. Ferl8Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesHorticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesInterdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesHorticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesHorticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesGenetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesPlant Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesHorticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesOffice of Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United StatesBackground: Plants subjected to the novel environment of spaceflight show transcriptomic changes that resemble aspects of several terrestrial abiotic stress responses. Under investigation here is whether epigenetic modulations, similar to those that occur in terrestrial stress responses, have a functional role in spaceflight physiological adaptation. The Advanced Plant Experiment-04 – Epigenetic Expression experiment examined the role of cytosine methylation in spaceflight adaptation. The experiment was conducted onboard the International Space Station, and evaluated the spaceflight-altered, genome-wide methylation profiles of two methylation-regulating gene mutants [methyltransferase 1 (met1-7) and elongator complex subunit 2 (elp2-5)] along with a wild-type Col-0 control.Results: The elp2-5 plants suffered in their physiological adaptation to spaceflight in that their roots failed to extend away from the seed and the overall development of the plants was greatly impaired in space. The met1-7 plants suffered less, with their morphology affected by spaceflight in a manner similar to that of the Col-0 controls. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in spaceflight were dramatically different in the elp2-5 and met1-7 plants compared to Col-0, indicating that the disruptions in these mutants resulted in a reprogramming of their spaceflight responses, especially in elp2-5. Many of the genes comprising the spaceflight transcriptome of each genotype were differentially methylated in spaceflight. In Col-0 the majority of the DEGs were representative of the now familiar spaceflight response, which includes genes associated with cell wall remodeling, pathogen responses and ROS signaling. However, the spaceflight transcriptomes of met1-7 and elp2-5 each presented patterns of DEGs that are almost completely different than Col-0, and to each other. Further, the DEGs of the mutant genotypes suggest a more severe spaceflight stress response in the mutants, particularly in elp2-5.Conclusion: Arabidopsis physiological adaptation to spaceflight results in differential DNA methylation in an organ-specific manner. Disruption of Met1 methyltransferase function does not dramatically affect spaceflight growth or morphology, yet met1-7 reprograms the spaceflight transcriptomic response in a unique manner. Disruption of elp2-5 results in poor development in spaceflight grown plants, together with a diminished, dramatically reprogrammed transcriptomic response.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.691790/fullspaceflight adaptationDNA methylationepigeneticspace biologymicrogravityelongator complex subunit 2 |
| spellingShingle | Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Anna-Lisa Paul Natasha Haveman Brandon Califar Brandon Califar Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl Robert J. Ferl Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis Frontiers in Plant Science spaceflight adaptation DNA methylation epigenetic space biology microgravity elongator complex subunit 2 |
| title | Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis |
| title_full | Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis |
| title_fullStr | Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis |
| title_full_unstemmed | Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis |
| title_short | Epigenomic Regulators Elongator Complex Subunit 2 and Methyltransferase 1 Differentially Condition the Spaceflight Response in Arabidopsis |
| title_sort | epigenomic regulators elongator complex subunit 2 and methyltransferase 1 differentially condition the spaceflight response in arabidopsis |
| topic | spaceflight adaptation DNA methylation epigenetic space biology microgravity elongator complex subunit 2 |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.691790/full |
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