Epigenetic memory and cell fate reprogramming in plants. Issue 1 (1st February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Birnbaum, Kenneth D.; Roudier, François
• Is Part Of: Regeneration. Volume 4:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 15
• Page End: 20
• Publication Date: 2017-02-01
• Subjects: cellular reprogramming -- chromatin remodeling -- DNA methylation -- epigenetic memory -- plants -- polycomb group complex -- regeneration; Regeneration (Biology) -- Periodicals; 571.889
• DOI: 10.1002/reg2.73
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2052-4412

Abstract

Abstract: Plants have a high intrinsic capacity to regenerate from adult tissues, with the ability to reprogram adult cell fates. In contrast, epigenetic mechanisms have the potential to stabilize cell identity and maintain tissue organization. The question is whether epigenetic memory creates a barrier to reprogramming that needs to be erased or circumvented in plant regeneration. Early evidence suggests that, while chromatin dynamics impact gene expression in the meristem, a lasting constraint on cell fate is not established until late stages of plant cell differentiation. It is not yet clear whether the plasticity of plant cells arises from the ability of cells to erase identity memory or to deploy cells that may exhibit cellular specialization but still lack an epigenetic restriction on cell fate alteration.