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Publications

NIBIOs employees contribute to several hundred scientific articles and research reports every year. You can browse or search in our collection which contains references and links to these publications as well as other research and dissemination activities. The collection is continously updated with new and historical material.

2012

Abstract

Epigenetic memory marks establishment in Norway spruce occur exclusively during embryogenesis in response to environmental impact, and the epitype is fixated by the time the embryo is fully developed without a change in the DNA sequence. We started large scale studies aimed on identifying and characterizing of genes and regulatory elements involved in the initiation, maintenance, and heritability of epigenetic memory using candidate genes and next generation sequencing approaches. Molecular mechanisms of formation of epigenetic memory were studied on the same full-sibs family zygotic embryo in vitro cultures developed in cold (18°C) and warm (30°C) environmental conditions from proliferation till mature embryo stages. Initially we had found large set (64) of Arabidopsis epigenetic regulator gene homologs in spruce. In general, known epigenetic related genes are very well represented among spruce ESTs. Analysis of the transcription patterns of these genes using RT-PCR in epigenetically different embryogenic samples reveal specific transcription patterns on different stages of embryogenic development dependent on epitype. We are expecting to determine certain stages during embryogenesis when epigenetic memory marks are forming. At the same time, nearly no differences in transcription levels of studied genes had been found in seedlings (4 month old), originated from full-sib families clearly differed in epigenetic response. Using MACE (massive cDNA 3-end sequencing) deep mRNA sequencing on the Illumina GSII platform, we analyzed P. abies transcriptomes by comparison warm and cold originated “embryonic epitypes” developed in cold and warm environmental conditions. Significant differences in transcriptomes between epitypes revealed by high-throughput sequencing will be discussed.