title: Epigenetic memory for stress response and adaptation in plants.
abstract: In contrast to the majority of animal species, plants are sessile organisms and are, therefore, constantly challenged by environmental perturbations. Over the past few decades, our knowledge of how plants perceive environmental stimuli has increased considerably, e.g. the mechanisms for transducing environmental stress stimuli into cellular signaling cascades and gene transcription networks. In addition, it has recently been shown that plants can remember past environmental events and can use these memories to aid responses when these events recur. In this mini review, we focus on recent progress in determination of the epigenetic mechanisms used by plants under various environmental stresses. Epigenetic mechanisms are now known to play a vital role in the control of gene expression through small RNAs, histone modifications and DNA methylation. These are inherited through mitotic cell divisions and, in some cases, can be transmitted to the next generation. They therefore offer a possible mechanism for stress memories in plants. Recent studies have yielded evidence indicating that epigenetic mechanisms are indeed essential for stress memories and adaptation in plants.
authors.affiliation: Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan tkinoshi@yokohama-cu.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.affiliation: Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Yokohama City University, 641-12 Maioka, Totsuka, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 244-0813 Japan Plant Genomic Network Research Team, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22 Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045 Japan CREST, JST, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama, 332-0012 Japan.
authors.forename: Motoaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seki
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D055864:Droughts; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000235:genetics; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006813:Humidity; D057865:Plant Immunity; D018521:Plant Physiological Phenomena / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D006657:Histones
keywords: DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Histone modification; Small RNA; Stress responses; Transposable elements