IC4R009-Epigenomic-2013-23562565

Project Title

Rice is one of the most important food crops in the world and has been established as a model for plant genome study. Genomic sequences of two of the three subspecies of rice are available [1,2]. With its accurate genomic sequences, abundant genetic resources and availability of highly efficient reverse genetic tools, rice has become a model for cereal epigenomics and epigenetics as well. Epigenomics refers to genome-wide chromatin modification profiles mainly including DNA methylation and histone modifications, which control chromatin accessibility to DNA replication and repair and transcription machineries, thereby modulating the genome activities. Epigenetics studies mechanisms that are involved in variation and inheritance of epigenomic modifications. A wealth of trait variations among different rice species, subspecies and cultivars related to epigenomic variations, which may have been accumulated during the long history of rice evolution, domestication and selection, provides unique opportunities for crop epigenetic study. The researchers summarize and discuss features of rice epigenomes and epigenetic variations and its possible implication in heterosis and genetic improvement.

National Key Laboratory of Crop Genetic Improvement, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070 Wuhan, China
Institut de Biologie des Plantes, Universite´ Paris sud, 91405 Orsay, France