title: Mapping the epigenetic basis of complex traits.
abstract: Quantifying the impact of heritable epigenetic variation on complex traits is an emerging challenge in population genetics. Here, we analyze a population of isogenic Arabidopsis lines that segregate experimentally induced DNA methylation changes at hundreds of regions across the genome. We demonstrate that several of these differentially methylated regions (DMRs) act as bona fide epigenetic quantitative trait loci (QTL(epi)), accounting for 60 to 90% of the heritability for two complex traits, flowering time and primary root length. These QTL(epi) are reproducible and can be subjected to artificial selection. Many of the experimentally induced DMRs are also variable in natural populations of this species and may thus provide an epigenetic basis for Darwinian evolution independently of DNA sequence changes.
authors: Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), UMR 8197, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U 1024, Paris F-75005, France.
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Cortijo
authors: René
authors: R
authors: Wardenaar
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Colomé-Tatché
authors: Arthur
authors: A
authors: Gilly
authors: Mathilde
authors: M
authors: Etcheverry
authors: Karine
authors: K
authors: Labadie
authors: Erwann
authors: E
authors: Caillieux
authors: Fréderic
authors: F
authors: Hospital
authors: Jean-Marc
authors: JM
authors: Aury
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Wincker
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Roudier
authors: Ritsert C
authors: RC
authors: Jansen
authors: Vincent
authors: V
authors: Colot
authors: Frank
authors: F
authors: Johannes
mesh_terms: D017360:Arabidopsis / Q000235:genetics*; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci; D012641:Selection, Genetic