Dynamic Epigenetic Changes during Plant Regeneration

• Published in: Trends in plant science Vol. 23; no. 3; pp. 235 - 247
• Main Authors: Lee, Kyounghee, Seo, Pil Joon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Callus; callus formation; Cell culture; Cell fate; cell fate change; Chromatin; chromatin modification; de novo organogenesis; dedifferentiation; epigenetic coordination; Epigenetics; Flowers & plants; Pluripotency; Regeneration; Studies; Tissue culture; Tissue engineering; de novo organogenesis; dedifferentiation; epigenetic coordination; callus formation; chromatin modification; cell fate change
• ISSN: 1360-1385; 1878-4372
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2017.11.009

Plants have the remarkable ability to drive cellular dedifferentiation and regeneration. Changes in epigenetic landscapes accompany the cell fate transition. Notably, modifications of chromatin structure occur primarily during callus formation via an in vitro tissue culture process and, thus, pluripotent callus cells have unique epigenetic signatures. Here, we highlight the latest progress in epigenetic regulation of callus formation in plants, which addresses fundamental questions related to cell fate changes and pluripotency establishment. Global and local modifications of chromatin structure underlie callus formation, and the combination and sequence of epigenetic modifications further shape intricate cell fate changes. This review illustrates how a series of chromatin marks change dynamically during callus formation and their biological relevance in plant regeneration. Plants can undergo cellular dedifferentiation and frequently induce a pluripotent cell mass called a callus. Callus formation is initiated from pericycle-like cells. Pericycle founder cells undergo asymmetric or formative divisions to form a callus, which is similar to lateral root primordium. The callus tissue acquires competence for subsequent tissue regeneration by regulating a pluripotent root stem cell niche. Changes in epigenetic landscapes accompany the cell fate transition, and massive epigenetic modifications occur, particularly during callus formation over the course of plant regeneration. These changes are inherited across generations. Multiple chromatin modifiers intertwine to intricately coordinate cell fate transition and pluripotency establishment.