The establishment, maintenance, and removal of epigenetic modifications provide an
additional layer of regulation, beyond genetically encoded factors, by which plants can …

Reproductive tissues are a rich source of small RNAs, including several classes of short
interfering (si) RNAs that are restricted to this stage of development. In addition to RNA …

The regulation of transposable elements (TEs) requires overlap** epigenetic
modifications that must be reinforced every cell division and generation. In plants, this is …

Although DNA methylation primarily represses TEs, it also represses select genes that are
methylated in plant body tissues but demethylated by DNA glycosylases (DNGs) in …

Endosperm is a major evolutionary innovation of flowering plants, and its proper
development critically impacts seed growth and viability. Epigenetic regulators have a key …

Paramutation is the transfer of mitotically and meiotically heritable silencing information
between two alleles. With paramutation at the maize (Zea mays) booster1 (b1) locus, the low …

Background In several eukaryotes, DNA methylation occurs within the coding regions of
many genes, termed gene body methylation (GbM). Whereas the role of DNA methylation on …

Maintaining proper DNA methylation levels in the genome requires active demethylation of
DNA. However, removing the methyl group from a modified cytosine is chemically difficult …

CHH methylation (mCHH) increases gradually during embryogenesis across
dicotyledonous plants, indicating conserved mechanisms of targeting and conferral …

Understanding how to increase soybean yield is crucial for global food security. The genetic
and epigenetic factors influencing seed size, a major crop yield determinant, are not fully …