Hierarchical understanding of the dynamics of epigenetic changes in characters and their control in plants

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17H03743
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Science in genetics and breeding
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Kanazawa Akira 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 教授 (30281794)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 遺伝子発現制御 / エピゲノム / 植物

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Focusing on epigenetic changes in gene expression, which are maintained through cell division without alterations in the DNA sequence, their dynamics in different layers including within gene, between alleles, and between cells and/or tissues were analyzed. In particular, transgene methylation that is induced during the growth of plants was characterized in terms of its relationship with changes in phenotypes, its stability across generations, and its changes via allelic interactions. In addition, changes in the insertional preference of a plant transposable element into chromosomal regions during evolution and the tissue specificity of its expression were explored.

Free Research Field

分子遺伝学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エピジェネティックな機構による遺伝子発現の変化は、他の方法によってはなし得ない、DNAの塩基配列の変化を伴わない形質改変を可能にし、したがって、植物の形質を改変する新たな手法となり得る。一方、エピジェネティックな変化は必ずしも安定ではなく、可逆的であるという特徴を持つ。本研究の成果は、エピジェネティックな変化の誘導を新たな植物育種の方法として確立する上で考慮する必要のある、安定性を含む、この現象の特性に関する知見を提供した意義を持つ。