Abstract
Plants frequently have to weather both biotic and abiotic stressors, and have evolved sophisticated adaptation and defense mechanisms. In recent years, chromatin modifications, nucleosome positioning, and DNA methylation have been recognized as important components in these adaptations. Given their potential epigenetic nature, such modifications may provide a mechanistic basis for a stress memory, enabling plants to respond more efficiently to recurring stress or even to prepare their offspring for potential future assaults. In this review, we discuss both the involvement of chromatin in stress responses and the current evidence on somatic, intergenerational, and transgenerational stress memory.
Highlights
Climate change is expected to increase the prevalence of extreme environmental conditions, including extreme weather events and increased average temperatures
One of the first reports to suggest the existence of a stress-induced transgenerational memory used a somatic homologous recombination (SHR) reporter and demonstrated that SHR increased in the parental generation in response to UV-C irradiation or treatment with the flg22
Conclusions and future directions The hypothesis that traits that are acquired in one generation could be transmitted to following generations was first put forward by Lamarck in the 19th century
Summary
Climate change is expected to increase the prevalence of extreme environmental conditions, including extreme weather events and increased average temperatures. But largely unexplored, way to improve stress tolerance in crops may be to enhance the stress memory through the activation of priming responses or the targeted modification of the epigenome. Transcriptional memory can be evident from either sustained changes in expression (activation or repression) or from a modified response after a second cue.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
