title: Molecular mechanisms of epigenetic variation in plants.
abstract: Natural variation is defined as the phenotypic variation caused by spontaneous mutations. In general, mutations are associated with changes of nucleotide sequence, and many mutations in genes that can cause changes in plant development have been identified. Epigenetic change, which does not involve alteration to the nucleotide sequence, can also cause changes in gene activity by changing the structure of chromatin through DNA methylation or histone modifications. Now there is evidence based on induced or spontaneous mutants that epigenetic changes can cause altering plant phenotypes. Epigenetic changes have occurred frequently in plants, and some are heritable or metastable causing variation in epigenetic status within or between species. Therefore, heritable epigenetic variation as well as genetic variation has the potential to drive natural variation.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Science and Technology, Niigata University, Nishi-ku, Niigata 950-2181, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.affiliation: Gregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Dr. Bohrgasse 3, Vienna 1030, Austria.
authors.forename: Taku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Plant Breeding, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Kobe University, Nada, Kobe 657-8510, Japan.|Cell and Developmental Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, Colney, Norwich NR4 7UH, UK.
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Osabe
authors.affiliation: Watanabe Seed Co., Ltd, Machiyashiki, Misato-cho, Miyagi 987-8607, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawanabe
authors.affiliation: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Plant Industry, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Elizabeth S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dennis
mesh_terms: D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D014644:Genetic Variation; D018745:Genome, Plant; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*