Nitrogen starvation induces genome‐wide activation of transposable elements in Arabidopsis. Issue 12 (21st October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yue; Liu, Yi; Qu, Shaofeng; Liang, Wenjie; Sun, Linhua; Ci, Dong; Ren, Zhitong; Fan, Liu‐Min; Qian, Weiqiang
• Other Names: Gong Zhizhong guestEditor.; Zhu Jian‐Kang guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Journal of integrative plant biology. Volume 64:Issue 12(2022)
• Page Start: 2374
• Page End: 2384
• Publication Date: 2022-10-21
• Subjects: DNA methylation -- glutamate synthase -- nitrogen starvation -- transcriptional gene silencing -- transposable element; Plants -- Periodicals; Plants -- China -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 580.5
• DOI: 10.1111/jipb.13376
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1672-9072

Abstract

Abstract: Nitrogen (N) availability is a major limiting factor for plant growth and agricultural productivity. Although the gene regulation network in response to N starvation has been extensively studied, it remains unknown whether N starvation has an impact on the activity of transposable elements (TEs). Here, we report that TEs can be transcriptionally activated in Arabidopsis under N starvation conditions. Through genetic screening of idm1‐14 suppressors, we cloned GLU1, which encodes a glutamate synthase that catalyzes the synthesis of glutamate in the primary N assimilation pathway. We found that glutamate synthase 1 (GLU1) and its functional homologs GLU2 and glutamate transport 1 (GLT1) are redundantly required for TE silencing, suggesting that N metabolism can regulate TE activity. Transcriptome and methylome analyses revealed that N starvation results in genome‐wide TE activation without inducing obvious alteration of DNA methylation. Genetic analysis indicated that N starvation‐induced TE activation is also independent of other well‐established epigenetic mechanisms, including histone methylation and heterochromatin decondensation. Our results provide new insights into the regulation of TE activity under stressful environments in planta . Abstract : Nitrogen starvation can induce genome‐wide activation of transposable elements in Arabidopsis without inducing obvious alterations of DNA methylation and heterochromatin condensation. These results provide new insights into the regulation of transposable element activity under stressful conditions in planta.