Epigenetics Research: Open Access
Open Access

The Application of Epigenetic Modifiers in Plant Growth and Development

Ayman Ahmed^{* *}Correspondence: Ayman Ahmed, Department of Epigenetics, Zagazig University, Sharqia Governorate, Egypt, Email:

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Description

Chromatin, a highly dynamic nucleoprotein complex, is important for controlling gene expression in eukaryotic cells, particularly by controlling how transcription factors and regulatory elements interact with one another. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling, determine the chromatin's structure. Growing changes evidence suggests that epigenetic regulations are involved in plant development, including flowering control, fruit and root development, seed maturation and germination, and adaptation to environmental stresses. Additionally, epigenetic mechanisms may be able to maintain tissue organization and stabilize cell identity. As a result, epigenetic diversity is now emerging as a brand-new source of phenotypic variation to guarantee crop yield and quality and enhance adaptability to shifting environmental conditions. During plant evolution, for instance, gene duplication and chromatin remodeling contribute to an increase in the morphological and cellular complexity.

Modifications to chromatin, such as DNA methylation and modifications to histones, are essential for controlling gene transcription and may therefore reprogramme cell differentiation and development. For instance, when investigating cork formation and quality in cork oak, a truly forest-specific process, immunolocalized various epigenetic marks and correlated transcriptional regulation with epigenomic changes. Maize's heat stress-dependent inhibition of lateral root formation was also linked to changes in the acetylation levels of lysine 5 of histone H4 (H4K5) and lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9). H3K9 and H4K5 acetylation significantly decreased in the promoter regions of the genes for Haem Oxygenase-1 (ZmHO-1) and Giberellic Acid-Stimulated Like-1 (ZmGSL-1)-two inhibitors of lateral root formation-in contrast to the global increase in histone acetylation observed in response to heat stress.

By controlling phytohormone biosynthesis, meristem development, organ development, and floral transition, the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes are crucial to this biological process. The centrality of chromatin remodeling and histone modifications in controlling plant development determined how auxin fluxes and the activity of the inflorescence and root apical meristems were influenced by the chromatinremodeling factor inositol auxotrophy 80 and the histone chaperones nap1-related protein 1 and 2. The epigenome's control over transcriptional initiation is the focus of yet another intriguing study. In order to improve the recruitment of the RNA polymerase II on the wrky53 promoter, the singlestranded DNA-binding protein whirly1 repressed the trimethylation of H3K4 and promoted the acetylation of H3K9.

Plants' responses to abiotic and environmental stresses, such as salinity, drought, UV-B radiation, temperature, and heavy metal toxicity, are also influenced by epigenetic changes. The Arabidopsis circadian rhythm is properly controlled by the circadian regulation of two Sin3-histone deacetylase complex proteins that are encoded by the genes SAP30 Function-Related 1 (AFR1) and AFR2. In order to localize deacetylate the histone H3 and negatively affect their expression, these two proteins directly bind to the promoters of the Pseudo-Response Regulator 9 (PRR9) and Circadaian Clock Associated 1 (CCA1).

In addition, nitric oxide regulates the epigenome by regulating the expression of DNA and histone-methyltransferase and demethylase-encoding genes. Together, nitric oxide is a chemical that regulates the activity of various histone acetyltransferases, deacetylases, methyltransferases and demethylases, DNA methyl transferases, and demethylases in response to environmental stresses in plants.

Conclusion

The role of the epigenome in the guideline of quality articulation that impacts many plant organic cycles like plant improvement and plant reaction to natural anxieties. To better comprehend the epigenetic regulation of gene expression, it will be necessary to conduct a more in-depth investigation of the transcription-related and chromatin remodeling mechanisms. By capturing the transcriptome and epigenome of each cell that makes up a complex organ, single cell omic technologies like ATAC-seq and single cell RNA-seq will make further discoveries possible. For a more complete picture of the plant cell epigenome, it is necessary to develop plant single cell ATAC-seq technology; even though single cell RNA-seq was recently used on Arabidopsis root protoplasts.