Ecological and evolutionary plant epigenetics

遗传差异作为所有生物选择和进化的基础是有据可查的，而表观遗传多样性的作用更多的是假设而不是实验证明。在植物科学中获得的对表观遗传机制的基本见解使得解决以下问题变得显而易见：(1)DNA序列之外的信息是否以及如何影响表型和适合度；(2)环境因素是否可以改变表观遗传特征并产生表观等位基因。拟议的合作研究项目是由五位欧洲表观遗传学、生态学和生态基因组学研究专家制定的。他们将联合起来，使用他们已建立的方法，为表观遗传学在植物适应环境变化中的作用提供概念证明。拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）具有大量的遗传、表观遗传和基因组信息，并可从不同生境的大量资料中获得。对拟南芥（Scabiosa columbaria）进行的实验将作为补充，这是一种近交物种，其栖息地破碎化和近交抑制的后果已得到充分记录。表征良好的植物材料将在受控环境条件下进行表观遗传多样性分析，并在后代中进行研究。表观遗传学分析将包括DNA甲基化和染色质修饰的个别序列以及整个基因组。该项目有望使人们更好地了解表观遗传变异作为植物适应的附加机制的范围、意义和普遍性。鉴于不久的将来环境会发生重大变化，这可能有助于增加欧洲在这一领域的研究权重。

Genetic differences as the basis for selection and evolution in all organisms is well documented, while the role of epigenetic diversity is more hypothesized than experimentally proven. The essential insights into epigenetic mechanisms gained in plant science let it appear obvious to address the questions, (1) whether and how information outside of the DNA sequence can influence phenotype and fitness and (2) if environmental factors can change epigenetic features and generate epialleles.The proposed Collaborative Research Project was developed by five European experts in epigenetic, ecological and ecogenomic research. They will join forces, using their established methodology, to deliver proof of concept for the role of epigenetics in plant adaptation to environmental change. Work with the inbreeding species Arabidopsis thaliana, with a plethora of genetic, epigenetic and genomic information and available in numerous accessions from different habitats, will be complemented by experiments with Scabiosa columbaria, an outbreeding species for which consequences of habitat fragmentation and inbreeding depression are well documented. Well characterized plant material will be analyzed for epigenetic diversity, subjected to controlled environmental conditions and studied in subsequent generations. Epigenetic analysis will comprise DNA methylation and chromatin modifications on individual sequences as well as whole genomes.The project is expected to result in a better understanding of the extent, significance and generality of epigenetic variation as an additional mechanism for plant adaptation. In the light of significant environmental changes in close future, it might help increasing the weight of European research in this field.