< Back to previous page

Project

Revealing the dark side of epigenetic adaptation: belowground DNA methylation memories associated with drought stress

Plants can recognize and anticipate recurring drought stress through developing a stress memory. A drought stress memory can be obtained through accumulating DNA methylation marks at specific target sites in the genome. Such an epigenetic memory is particularly beneficial when plants frequently face drought stress, and is thus expected to become increasingly important as climate changes. Quantifying drought stress memories and their contribution to drought tolerance is, however, challenging, and requires knowledge of the molecular processes underlying drought stress perception, signalling and responses. Although it is well known that below- and above-ground plant organs orchestrate drought tolerance differently, it remains unknown to what extent roots and leaves develop distinct drought stress memories. Considering the vital role of roots in regulating hydraulic responses to drought stress, stress memories may be particularly extensive and stable in roots. Here, I use natural accessions of the experimentally versatile Fragaria vesca to study natural epigenetic variation underlying drought tolerance, and for assessing the stability of epigenetic memories within and across generations. The major goal of this project is to, for the first time, elucidate the role and stability of below-ground epigenetic memories in governing and evolving drought tolerance

Date:1 Oct 2020 →  Today
Keywords:Molecular ecology, Plant conservation, Epigenetic variation
Disciplines:Molecular evolution, Population, ecological and evolutionary genetics, Quantitative genetics, Epigenetics, Plant ecology