Consequences of plant tissue cryopreservation (phenotype and genome)

The question about the correspondence of regenerants after cryopreservation to the initial organisms has long been in the focus of attention of cryobiologists. The correspondence has been established for morphological and physiological characteristics and the DNA composition in flower plants and algae. However, at least as many works point to some phenotypic changes and appearance of DNA polymorphism in representatives of both plant kingdoms. Changes in DNA methylation at cytosine after cryopreservation of flower plant tissues have attracted considerable interest. Thus, after freezing and thawing, changes in the phenotype and genome may occur, and the latter involve two mechanisms: mutations and modification of DNA methylation.