The Genomic Shock Hypothesis: Genetic and Epigenetic Alterations of Transposable Elements after Interspecific Hybridization in Plants

Transposable elements (TEs) are major components of plant genomes with the ability to change their position in the genome or to create new copies of themselves in other positions in the genome. These can cause gene disruption and large-scale genomic alterations, including inversions, deletions, and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Epigenomes 2023-12, Vol.8 (1), p.2
Main Authors: de Tomás, Carlos, Vicient, Carlos M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Chromosomes
DNA methylation
DNA sequencing
Epigenetic inheritance
Epigenetics
Gene disruption
Genomes
genomic shock
Genomics
Health aspects
Hybridization
Interspecific hybridization
Methods
Methylation
MITE
Mutation
Nucleotide sequencing
Plant genetics
retrotransposon
Review
RNA polymerase
transposable element
Transposons
Viruses
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Summary:Transposable elements (TEs) are major components of plant genomes with the ability to change their position in the genome or to create new copies of themselves in other positions in the genome. These can cause gene disruption and large-scale genomic alterations, including inversions, deletions, and duplications. Host organisms have evolved a set of mechanisms to suppress TE activity and counter the threat that they pose to genome integrity. These includes the epigenetic silencing of TEs mediated by a process of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). In most cases, the silencing machinery is very efficient for the vast majority of TEs. However, there are specific circumstances in which TEs can evade such silencing mechanisms, for example, a variety of biotic and abiotic stresses or in vitro culture. Hybridization is also proposed as an inductor of TE proliferation. In fact, the discoverer of the transposons, Barbara McClintock, first hypothesized that interspecific hybridization provides a "genomic shock" that inhibits the TE control mechanisms leading to the mobilization of TEs. However, the studies carried out on this topic have yielded diverse results, showing in some cases a total absence of mobilization or being limited to only some TE families. Here, we review the current knowledge about the impact of interspecific hybridization on TEs in plants and the possible implications of changes in the epigenetic mechanisms.
ISSN:2075-4655
2075-4655
DOI:10.3390/epigenomes8010002