Transposable elements are vectors of recurrent transgenerational epigenetic inheritance
P. Baduel, L. De Oliveira, E. Caillieux, G.Bohl-Viallefond, C. Xu, M. El Messaoudi, A. Petit, [...] F. K Teixeira, M. Boccara, E. Gilbault, A. de France, L. Quadrana, O. Loudet, V. Colot
Authors
Pierre Baduel, Louna De Oliveira, Erwann Caillieux, Grégoire Bohl-Viallefond, Ciana Xu, Mounia El Messaoudi, Aurélien Petit, Maëva Draï, Matteo Barois, Vipin Singh, Alexis Sarazin, Felipe K Teixeira, Martine Boccara, Elodie Gilbault, Antoine de France, Leandro Quadrana, Olivier Loudet, Vincent Colot
Abstract
DNA methylation loss at transposable elements (TEs) can affect neighboring genes and be epigenetically inherited in plants, yet the determinants and significance of this additional system of inheritance are unknown. Here, we demonstrate in Arabidopsis thaliana that transgenerational stability of experimentally-induced hypomethylation at TE loci is constrained by small RNAs derived from related copies. Using data from >700 strains collected worldwide, we uncover similar and recurrent hypomethylation at hundreds of these TE loci, often near genes. Most natural epivariants we tested can be inherited without DNA sequence changes and are therefore bona fide epialleles, although genetic factors modulate their recurrence or persistence. Epiallelic variants often cause gene expression changes and may be targets of selection, thus revealing their contribution to heritable phenotypic variation in nature.
Science. 2025 Sep 18:eady3475. doi : 10.1126/science.ady3475.
