Inhibition of internode growth due to mechanical stress in Bryonia dioica: relationship between changes in DNA methylation and ethylene metabolism |
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Authors: | Jean-Philippe Galaud Thomas Gaspar Nicole Boyer |
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Affiliation: | J.-P. Galaud and N. Boyer (corresponding author), U.A. Physiologic Intégrée de l'Arbre Fruitier (INRA—Univ. Blaise Pascal). 4 rue Ledru, F-63038 Clermont-Ferrand, France;Institut de Botanique B 22, Univ. de Liége, Sart Tilman. B-4000 Liége, Belgium. |
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Abstract: | Changes in the level of cytosine methylation were assessed by HPLC in mechanically stressed Bryonia dioica . Rubbing young internodes. which results in growth inhibition and ethylene production, induced a rapid and transient decrease of cytosine methylation in DNA. The level of cytosine methylation was about 25% in young internodes and dropped to nearly 0% in less than 1 h before increasing to the normal level within 3 h. A decreasing gradient of DNA methylation occurred naturally along the plant, from the apex to the base. The pool of S-adenosylmethionine was also measured in order to establish a possible relationship between ethylene metabolism and DNA methylation. The role of DNA methylation in gene regulation is discussed and different mechanisms for methylation are considered. |
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Keywords: | Bryonia dioica DNA methylation ethylene S-adenosylmethionine thigmomorphogenesis |
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